2013 Swamp House Half Marathon

Sunday started with a 2:00 am wake up call to pick up a load of ice for the race.  I finally made it to the race start around 3:45, already a few minutes late and off to a worrying start.

After a quick check in at the parking area to see how Duane Allen and our parking volunteers were doing it was straight to the start/finish line to set up the starting corrals, finish chute and lay out the 5k.  Moving and assembling barricades and traffic cones.  Hauling ice, water, and cases of bananas, power bars and medals.  Helping set up the medical tent.  Managing volunteers, answering questions, directing traffic . . . .  The tasks seemed endless.

Before I knew it, the sun was up and I realized I could finally ditch my headlamp.  Oh crap!  What time is it?  20 minutes to the race start and time to panic.

About five minutes before the start I snuck a quick glance over at the start line and saw a massive sea of people eager to start the half marathon.  I hardly had a moment to appreciate the magnitude of what we had accomplished before I was snapped out of my revelry by 5k runners milling around aimlessly looking for guidance.  We had another race start in 20 minutes so it was on to the next thing.

In the distance I heard the national anthem.  It broke my heart when I realized I would miss the start of the race but there was too much still to do.

The rest of the morning was spent addressing one minor crisis after the other.  Injured runners.  Reassigning volunteers to cover needs.  A traffic accident involving one of the shuttle buses.  Tracking down missing supplies.  Keeping food, water and medals stocked.  My phone rang constantly.  There was a never ending stream of questions.  It was exhausting but all it took was a quick look at the faces of runners crossing the finish line to be instantly rejuvenated.

Miraculously everything fell into place.  Actually, that’s not true.  To credit a miracle isn’t fair.  Although I’m sure God was smiling on us, we did not require divine intervention.*  It took hard work, planning and the amazing organizational skills of Jennifer Florida.

There are too many people to thank for their hard work individually and I know I would forget someone.  So thank you Jennifer Florida and Don Stoner, the heart and soul of Final Mile Race Management, and the tireless multitude of volunteers that made the 2013 Swamp House Half Marathon and 5k such a huge  success.

*Truthfully, there was one miracle that morning.  My cell phone battery didn't die.

1=100

I finally got off the couch almost seven years ago having never in my life run a mile without stopping.  My modest goal at the time was simply to achieve that one feat before I turned 40.  I had never heard of an ultra marathon.

I first learned of ultra marathons three short years ago, reading books like Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run and Dean Karnazes’ Ultra Marathon Man.  My first reaction was incredulity.  A 100 mile foot race, over mountains!  Humans can do that?  From the moment I first learned of their existence I was fascinated.  No.  More than that - obsessed.  I knew that was where my future lay even though I had at the time only completed a single 5k.

This weekend at the Iron Horse Endurance Run I completed my fourth ultra marathon, my first 100k, and earned my first finisher’s buckle.  I doubled over as soon as I crossed the finish line exhausted, suffering, and overcome with emotion.  As proud as I was at that moment, I can’t say it was any more gratifying than that day in the fall of 2005 when I ran my first mile in the blisteringly fast time of 13:02 (remarkably close to my average pace at Iron Horse).

One of the great things about running is that it has a sliding scale of achievement with each milestone being as significant as the last.   When you are starting from scratch, completing one mile can be as rewarding as running 100 after years of effort.

There are many levels of competition in a foot race.  At the front of the pack there are the elites battling against each other to be the one to break that tape at the finish line.


Then there is the battle against the clock, runners chasing that personal record.

The most epic battle of all is internal. Runners challenging themselves, smashing through comfort zones to attempt to go farther than they ever have before and pushing themselves far beyond their perceived limitations.  Individuals trying to achieve things they may have at one time thought impossible.  It matters little whether the distance involved is one mile or 100.

2012 in Review

2012 was a banner year for me.  I ran a total of 2,132 miles shattering my previous record.  Here is the year in review:

January – Ragnar Relay Florida Keys.  Just about the most fun I’ve had as an adult (at least while standing up) made even better by a third place finish for team Shanghaied and a bronze baton.

February – Two consecutive record months over 180 miles kicked off my best and most consistent year of training.

March – Highest mileage month ever at 243 miles.

April – Croom Fools Run – My second ultra and first 50 mile event.

May – I went streaking, running 38 consecutive days ending on May 17.  I averaged 5.5 miles per day with a minimum of 3 miles each day.  

June – I finally broke through the 7:00 mile barrier setting a 6:35 PR at WVR’s first one mile time trial workout.

July – Barefoot running.  A few months of gradual buildup culminated in my longest barefoot run to date - six miles.

August – I finally broke through the 23:00 barrier in the 5k at the Go for the Gold 5k setting a new PR of 22:32.

September – Got out of my comfort zone while training hard for a beautiful but hilly course at the Georgia Jewel.  50 miles and 9000 feet of elevation gain.  I also set another one mile PR at the Genuine Mile – 6:29.

October -  Ran my first 10k with a respectable time of 49:22 (after having run a 22 mile training run the day before) at the Pink Feet 10k.

November – Not every significant milestone is positive.  Plagued with ankle problems leading up to the Wild Sebastian 100, I decided to toe the start line anyway.  Hoping to complete 75 miles I had to drop at mile 45 (after hobbling through 10 painful miles).  Although given credit for finishing just one 25 mile loop around the course, in my heart I consider this to be my first DNF.

December – Confirming that my decision to drop from Wild Sebastian was the correct one (although that gives me little solace) my ankle healed after a few weeks of rest and I finished the year strong with a new marathon PR at the Jacksonville Bank Marathon – 4:21:39.

Florida Keys Ragnar Relay 2012

The Team:  Shanghaied

Jeff

Mileage:  36.8

Road Kills:  76

Jaime

Mileage:  30

Road Kills:  47

Bob

Mileage:  35.6

Road Kills:  20

Josh

Mileage:  30.2

Road Kills:  54

Liz

Mileage:  23.9

Road Kills:  46

Jennifer

Mileage:  42.2

Road Kills:  57 

Why the name Shanghaied?  Let’s just say that our fearless team captain, Jennifer, didn’t leave us much choice when she “recruited” us for the team.

The Relay

Florida Keys Ragnar Relay.  199 miles from Miami to Key West.

In case you are not familiar with the Ragnar Relay Series the race is run by teams of 12 runners that divide themselves into two vans each carrying 6 runners.  While one van runs the course, supporting its runners between checkpoints, the other rests.  The vans swap out at major exchange points every 6 legs.  Each runner is responsible for 3 legs with total mileage ranging from 10 to 22 miles. The race continues all day and all night until you reach the finish line.

For an even greater challenge, teams can enter as an ultra team and run the same course with a single van and 6 runners.  Ultra runners each run 6 legs with mileage totals between 24 and 42 miles. I can attest that this means there is no opportunity for rest.

Start times are staggered with the faster teams handicapped by a later start with the goal being that all of the teams reach the finish line about the same time.  Estimated times are based on the average 10k pace for the team.  Passing other teams is an accomplishment that means your team has overcome their handicap.  Teams collect these “road kills” and often keep a running tally painted on the sides of their vans like fighter pilots.

Vans are decorated and “tagged” by other teams.  Runners are often costumed.  The atmosphere of the race is like a rolling party that moves through the race course and climaxes with the finish festivities on Duval Street in Key West.

This year the race attracted over 500 teams.  About 5000 runners.


My Race

We were originally assigned a start time of 10:00 a.m., however Jeff had issues with his flight into Miami.  He was delayed until Friday morning and we were able to get our start pushed back to noon.  This meant we were starting with much faster teams.

Jeff was also our leadoff runner, which meant he started running his first leg just a little more than two hours after landing at the Miami airport.

I was assigned to be runner #3 and #9 with my six legs totaling just over 35 miles.

1:25 p.m. Friday
Leg 3:  University of Miami to Tropical Park
Distance:  3.1 miles
Time: 25:12
Pace:  8:17
Road Kills:  1

The challenge on this first leg was to not run it like a 5k so I tried to start out conservatively and ease into this very long race.  That strategy went out the window when I discovered one of the unexpected obstacles we had to endure.  Traffic.  The route followed a sidewalk on a busy road with several bad intersections.  There were no road closings for this event so when we approached a red light at a busy intersection there was no alternative but to wait.  This was the great equalizer since it allowed runners to either catch up or pull away depending on whether you made the light.

I also discovered the disadvantage of our late start.  We were running with some much faster teams, or at least faster than me.  I had a few runners pass me like I was standing still.  Road kills in these first few legs were hard to come by but I did manage to chalk up a few.

5:24 p.m. Friday
Leg 9:  Village of Old Cutler
Distance:  4.2 miles
Time:  34:53
Pace:  8:02
Road Kills:  3

I succumbed to the spirit of competition in this, my fastest leg.  I just hoped that it didn’t come back to haunt me later in the race.  The route followed a paved trail through a nice neighborhood.  I got stopped with two other runners at a traffic light in the first mile.  When the light changed we jostled for position and two of us pulled away with me in the lead.  We were close enough to chat and I learned he was from another ultra team – The End is Near a/k/a The Mayan Guys (they had a pyramid mounted on the top of their van) a/k/a Jaime’s Fan Club (long story).

I was comfortable with the 8:00 pace we were running but I knew it was risky for me.  I just couldn’t bear the thought of slowing down and letting the guy kill me!  I was ecstatic that I held him off for the whole 4 mile run.

We were completely disorganized by sunset.

9:59 p.m. Friday
Leg 15:  Southern Glades Canal
Distance:  8.2 miles
Time:  1:19:24
Pace:  9:48
Road Kills:  1

My first night time leg.  I was really looking forward to this leg and it did not disappoint.  We got reports from teams ahead of us about how difficult this leg was and all that did was to increase my anticipation.

The course followed a rocky trail (I won’t dignify it by calling it a road) that ran through the Everglades along the Southern Glades Canal.  It was dark and the footing was very difficult requiring diligent attention to foot placement nearly every step to avoid stumbling.  I was prepared with a headlamp and a handheld flashlight.  The team vans drove along the road too but were prohibited from stopping to render aid because the trail was so narrow.  The passing vans were a mixed blessing. Sometimes headlights helped to illuminate the road, sometimes they just ruined my night vision, and sometimes the dust they disturbed caught the light from my headlamp leaving my vision completely obscured.

I knew there were gators in the water. I would occasionally glance over to see if I could spot any glowing eyes reflected back, but this would usually cause me to stumble.  For the most part I had to keep my eyes forward and struggle through the leg as best as I could.

Call me masochistic, but I loved running every moment of that leg.  My only regrets are that I got killed twice when I had to stop to retie my shoe and once again when I dropped my flashlight.

5:21 a.m. Saturday
Leg 21:  Islamorada to Long Key
Distance:  8.2 miles
Time:  1:18:04
Pace:  9:57
Road Kills:  8

Fatigue really started to set in by this time.  Jaime had one of her longer legs preceding this one so I was able to catch a little sleep in the back seat of the van.  We arrived at the exchange point early enough that everyone got a chance to rest their eyes.  I was startled awake by something, I’m still not sure what, and was completely disoriented.  I had to ask if we were at the checkpoint and how much time before Jaime was expected.  Four minutes.  I got out of the van, started sucking down a gel, couldn’t figure out which direction I needed to go to find the exchange, and was looking for a port-a-john when I heard Jaime screaming our bib number.  “148 . . . 148 . . .148!”  The effect on me was like mainlining caffeine.  I couldn’t believe I was late for the exchange.  I sprinted towards her voice shouting her name, finally found her and apologized profusely.  I ran out of the chute still fumbling with my Garmin and headlight.

Fully awake again, I was pretty happy with how well this leg went which included my first bridge.  It was hard to tell how tall it was but I could see a line of the flashing red lights that the Ragnar rules require us to wear at night rising into the sky.  I powered through the incline, which I now call the quad killer, and earned a couple of road kills on the way up.  I never had a sense of how tall that bridge was until we drove back over it on the way home Sunday.  I think it might have intimidated me if I had run it during the day.

Pushing so hard over that bridge cooked my quads.  I made it through the rest of the run ok, but I was starting to slow down.  I was worried that I still had two legs left, including my longest.

With the end of this run came day break.  Finally.  It had been a very long night and the sunrise was glorious.  It really helped to lift my spirits.


10:25 a.m. Saturday
Leg 27:  End of 7 Mile Bridge to Big Pine Key
Distance:  9.3 miles
Time:  1:36:02
Pace:  10:16
Road Kills:  6

My longest leg.  As my 5th leg approached I started to worry.  My quads were history and I knew it was going to be a tough run.  The night had been cool, perfect for running, but it was now the middle of the day, and hot.

My leg started at the end of the 7 Mile Bridge.  As we approached the exchange point the road was congested.  Ragnar vans were jostling for parking.  Hundreds of runners were milling about on the side of the road.  Out of nowhere a pickup truck came careening out of control from a beach access driveway.  It swerved to avoid a car right into the running lane then swerved again sending a traffic cone flying that I thought at first was a runner, then overturned in the middle of the road right in front of our van.  It was one of the most frightening scenes I have ever witnessed.  Miraculously, no one was seriously hurt.  Thinking back, I don’t see how it was possible that no one was struck by the truck.  We learned later one runner suffered minor injuries when he jumped over a railing to escape.

This did not bode well for a good run.

I struggled to maintain a decent pace for the first 5 miles of this leg, but then things really got tough.  Most of this leg was unsupported due to bridges so I was on my own, trying to ration the water I was carrying.  With the exception of a restless 30 minute nap I had been awake since 7:00 the previous morning.  I was approaching the 30 mile mark.  I was exhausted, hungry, dripping sweat, and parched.  Around mile seven I saw a figure walking toward me.  It was Liz carrying cold water and Gatorade.  I had been on the verge of giving up but my team had found the perfect place to lend support.  She helped me refill my bottle and gave me the boost I needed to continue.  The words of support I got from the rest of my team, and from the members of another ultra team that we had been keeping pace with gave me the energy I needed to finish that leg.

There are no mile markers along the course.  Only directional signs and a single “One Mile to Go” sign at the end of each leg to indicate distance.  Since much of the route followed US 1 with no turns, even the directional signs were few and far between.  Near where my team met me I saw one of the blue Ragnar signs, the first I had seen during the leg, and prayed that my Garmin was wrong and that it indicated one mile to go.  When I could finally read it, it simply indicated “Straight Ahead.”  It pissed me off and I think I cursed aloud at the sign as I ran past.  It dashed my hopes that the leg was almost over.

That 15k run was as tough as any marathon I have ever run.

The end of the relay moves at a furious pace.  Most of the legs are short, many less than 3 miles.  That gives the rest of the team precious few moments to load up the van and get set up for the next exchange.  After finishing this leg and handing off to Josh, I was spent.  I collapsed.  Liz brought me a chunk of ice that I rubbed on my scalp to try to cool down and then on my quads to try to get some relief.  That was all the time I had for recovery before it was time to catch up to Josh and set up for the next exchange.



2:21 p.m. Saturday
Leg 33: US 1 Mile Marker 13 to Big Coppitt Key
Distance:  2.7 miles
Time:  25:14
Pace: 9:14
Road Kills:  1

The next five legs seemed to fly by in an instant. My final, and shortest leg, came up before I knew it.  I had taken this one for granted from the beginning.  2.7 miles . . . a piece of cake . . . I thought I would be able to finish the race on auto pilot.  But as I waited for Jaime I had no idea if I would be able to take even a single running stride.  It had been barely two hours since finishing one of the hardest runs of my life and now I was expected to run again.

I hunched over next to some bushes to try to grab the only shade I could find and tried to stretch my quads.  I saw Jennifer eating an orange and it reminded me again that I had not eaten a real meal since breakfast the day before.  I was hungry and needed the energy so I unabashedly bummed a few slices of orange from her.

I saw Jaime approach and nervously stepped into the exchange chute.  When that orange slap bracelet hit my wrist I felt a surge of adrenaline.  Where that burst came from I have no idea.  I set my sights on the runner that had started just ahead of me.  I wanted to get at least one more kill.  I checked my watch and knew I could never sustain the pace I was running.  I had over two miles to reel her in so I eased up just a bit.

I had already run 33 miles but this was a race after all and I determined to push through to the end.  I finally passed her about half way through the leg and then had to resist an overwhelming urge to slow down.  The end was too close.  There was another runner ahead but she was holding her lead.  There was no catching her.

When I reached the end and handed off the bracelet to Josh I doubled over.  I was dizzy, nauseas, dehydrated but also elated.  I had finished.  Before the start of this leg I had doubts about being able to run at all so I am as proud of the 9:14 pace I averaged during this short run as I am of any PR I have at any distance.

Again, there was no time to recover or celebrate.  We had three more legs to go to reach the finish line.

The Finish

Jennifer had the final leg.  She started leg 36 5.8 miles from the finish on Duval Street and we drove ahead to meet her.

The wait was agonizing.  The finish line was packed with people and the crowd roared every time a team approached to cross the line together.

We kept our eyes peeled on the last corner before the final stretch and Jeff ran back to try to spot her further up the course.  It was obvious from his body language as soon as she came into view.

Seeing her round that corner felt like a reunion.  Our team was complete again.  We all fell into place behind her and ran across the line as one.  In my adult life, I have never felt such close camaraderie as part of a team than I did with these five people going through this ordeal together.  Finally crossing that finish line together was an emotional and overwhelming experience.

We crossed the finish line in 28 hours 20 minutes and 47 seconds.  We had no idea how well we did relative to other teams because of the way teams were staggered from the start.  As we met other ultra teams at checkpoints we had a sense that we were holding our own and doing well but there was no way to be sure.  The results were finally posted Monday afternoon and we learned that we placed third in the mixed ultra division.  I was incredulous.  That was just the icing on the cake.  A reward for a race run hard.

Some Acknowledgements

Jennifer: for being a monster on the race course.  42 miles at an astonishing pace was an inspirational sight to see.

Liz:  for having the best attitude.   Always a smile on her face.  Never complaining.  Always quick to offer aid.  Plus she was a good sport after I uploaded a photo of her to facebook when she passed out mere moments after reaching our hotel room.

Jeff: for being the most reluctant member of our team.  For someone who was so vocally begrudging, he sure seemed to laugh a lot and is one of the most gifted runners I have ever seen.

Jaime: for being the van cutup and chief hijinks instigator.  It seemed like every phrase that escaped her mouth had everyone busting out laughing.

Josh: one of the fastest runners I know for tackling the “LONGEST LEG IN RAGNAR HISTORY” and scoring dozens of road kills along the way.

Me:  for being the van garbage disposal.  I lost all control of my appetite during the relay. If food was getting passed around the van I was eating, whatever it was that was offered.  I think my team mates started to punk me to see the number of different things I would eat.  I ate granola bars, a hard-boiled egg, bananas, strawberries, oranges, gels, trail mix, a peanut butter sandwich, a cold cut sandwich that I devoured so fast I have no idea what kind of meat was on it, pretzels, Fig Newtons, donut holes, Snickers Marathon Bars and probably much more that I can’t even remember.

Liz: for telling us the “BEST STORY EVER!”

Josh:  the superhero, for coming to the aid of someone choking on the beach after the race.  He was up on his feet before I even knew what was happening.

Jaime: for making me feel old by not understanding a reference to Frogger when we were talking about crossing intersections.

Jeff:  for making me feel young again the day after the race.  Watching him struggle to climb into the van had us all in stitches.

Jaime, Liz and Jeff:   for their superhuman endurance.  How they managed to go partying in Key West Saturday night is beyond me.

Jennifer:  for not only being a great team captain, but for orchestrating the logistics for the five teams that WVR sent to the Keys.  9 vans, 52 people, 18 hotel rooms in two cities, delayed flights, substitutions due to LMQ’s (last minute quitters), she handled it all in stride.

Post Script

The most frequent question I’ve been asked since the race is whether I wore my huaraches.  No, I didn’t.  I packed them and was tempted to wear them on some of the shorter legs but I still run slower in the sandals than I do in regular shoes.  I’m still getting used to the change they encourage to my running form and I still find a couple of miles in them very fatiguing.  Had I been running on my own I would have worn them, but I was part of a team and wanted to hold my own.

I rotated two pair of Saucony Kinvaras.  One pair I wore sockless on the shorter, faster legs and the other pair I wore with Thorlo Experias.  I ran over 35 miles with not a single blister or foot problem.  I was a little uncomfortable during that rocky leg through the Glades and a little more protection underfoot would have been more comfortable but I survived it.  I absolutely love these shoes.

Race Report: Dash for Dad 5k

I haven’t made a serious effort at a 5k PR since last December.  I’ve entered a few 5k’s in the past 12 months, but treated them as fun runs, running and walking with friends.  I did run the St. Augustine Bridge of Lions 5k at my maximum effort, but give me a break, that was July, and my time reflected the hot, humid conditions.

So, on an almost spur of the moment decision, I entered the Dash for Dad 5k in The Villages, FL a charity race to benefit prostate cancer research and treatment.

I have run a lot of 400m intervals over the past few months and I hoped that all of that effort would reward me with a new 5k PR.  My goals for the race were to break through that 23:00 wall I’ve been slamming into and to try to clock a mile under 7:00.

This was a small race run near a retirement community and the competition reflected that fact.  100 yards from the start I found myself among the leaders in 4th place behind a young kid who took off like a flash of lightning and a couple that appeared to be running together.  Less than half a mile in, the Flash faded, slowed to a walk, and I found myself in 3rd place two steps back from the leaders.  My pace felt comfortably hard and I knew I had enough speed in me to take the lead for the first time ever.  I checked my pace though and realized I was already running too fast to maintain so I eased in behind the leaders.  A few minutes later we were passed by another younger guy who ultimately won the race and the threesome slowly started to pull away from me.

For most of the first mile I maintained a pace under 7:00 but as I approached the mile marker I saw the clock tick off 6:58…6:59…7:00 (damn!) and finally passed it 6 seconds later.  7:06, beating my fastest mile ever by 8 seconds but just missing that 7:00 goal.  Well there were still two more miles left in the race.

That’s when I heard Mr. Green making his move.  I’ll call him Mr. Green because he was dressed in green.  He spotted me warming up before the race, jokingly warned me not to run too fast, and took to calling me Mr. Speedy.  He even warned other people about me at the start line – “Watch out for Mr. Speedy over here.”  When I heard those footsteps behind me I knew exactly who it was. I glanced over my shoulder and there he was, 10-15 years my junior and built like a pro running back I leaned forward and vowed to hold him off as long as I could.

The turnaround for the course was at the end of a cul-de-sac. The turn was a little tight but much better than turning on a traffic cone as is often the case in these smaller races.  I held off Mr. Green until just after that turn.  As he passed I gave him a thumbs up and took pride in the effort that showed on his face.  At least I didn’t make it easy for him.

At two miles the first three runners were still in sight but there was no way I was catching them.  Mr. Green was close but I was struggling to keep him in striking distance.  My only hope was a small hill that I remembered in the first mile.  If I was lucky, Mr. Green was weak on hills and I might have an opportunity to catch him.  I looked behind me and the next runner was no threat.  I realized I had a lock on 5th place overall and a shot at 4th.

My hopes were dashed though as he held firmly onto his lead.  I didn’t gain any distance on him on the hill and as we reached the final stretch he started to slowly increase his lead.  I was really starting to feel the effort and I looked at my watch remembering that my real adversary in this race was time – that 23:00 barrier.  I was slowing down and I knew it was going to be close.

The course circled around toward the finish line so that the clock was not visible until the last minute.  I had to resort to repeatedly checking my watch.  At 22:23 I tried to judge the distance left, it didn’t look good.   22:45…22:55…23:00 (dangit!)  I finally finished the final turn and crossed the finish line 28 seconds later.



I had a good conversation with Mr. Green (his real name was Richard) after the race.  He told me that I helped to push him during the race.  I think I surprised him which makes me feel good.

So I finished with no PR and no 7:00 minute mile. On the positive side though I did run my fastest mile ever 7:06, it was my first top 5 finish in a race, first time ever running in the front of the pack, and I won a first in age group award.  So I’m still happy with how the race went.

Kudos to the race organizer Front Running Sports for well run race and to the principal sponsors Zero (The Project to End Prostate Cancer), The Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute, and all of the other sponsors.  The race went off without a hitch and the post race goodies were extravagant.  This is the second year for this nationwide charity race which is hoping to match the success of the Susan G. Koman breast cancer races.

So now for the excuses analysis - Why didn’t I hit my goals?

This was only 20 days out from the Marine Corps Marathon.  I feel great, but it’s possible I’m not fully recovered from that race.

I haven’t done any speed work since I started my taper for the MCM and haven’t done any serious training since the MCM.  I’ve been focused on having fun running in sandals for the past few weeks.

It was also a pretty warm day.  The temperature at the start was in the upper 60’s.  It was comfortable but not optimal.

I probably started out too fast and burnt up a lot of energy trying to hold off and then keep up with Mr. Green.  If I had run a more conservative race in the first half I might have had more energy for a kick at the end.

Lessons learned.  With 5k’s virtually every weekend for the next few months I think I have a pretty good shot at having a breakout race before spring.

Croom Fools Run 50k

I had an awesome experience at the Croom Fools Run 50k last month.

The race was located in the Croom Forest, a section of the Withlacoochee State Forest near Brooksville, FL. It was limited 250 runners competing in 15 mile, 50k and 50 mile races.

This was my first attempt at an ultra marathon and I could not have asked for a better race. The forest was beautiful, the race was well organized, the volunteers were awesome – now if they could have just done something about the heat.

The course is a 15 mile loop around the forest consisting of mostly single track hiking trails. 15 milers ran one loop, the 50k was two loops and the 50 milers started an hour early to complete three loops.

It was mostly flat or gently rolling hills with the exception of the last four miles of each loop which had one challenging hill after another. We were also forced to descend into several sinkholes for apparently no better reason than that they were there. I later learned that one of these was aptly named the “Pit of Despair” as it had a descent so steep it required handholds to navigate.

The aid stations were stocked with cold water, Heed, Mountain Dew and a smorgasbord of food options: oranges, bananas, cookies, chips, pretzels, and candy. I carried PB&J sandwiches in my pockets and ate two on the first loop, just nibbling on the aid station food along the way. On the second loop I decided to enjoy the offerings at the aid stations. The only thing I regretted sampling was a fist full of pretzels I tossed in my mouth all at once. They set up like concrete and I had a hard time swallowing them. I did suffer from a short bout of nausea after leaving the final aid station at about mile 26. I slowed down for a few minutes and fortunately it eventually passed.

I was surprised at how dissimilar this race was to my two prior marathons. The slower pace, fewer but much more elaborate aid stations, and a strategy that included some walking made this a much more enjoyable experience. In marathons I have always reached a point, usually around 22 miles where I just wished the race would end and finding the motivation to continue required a great deal of effort. I never reached that point in this race. I loved every minute of it.

The first loop was fairly crowded and it was usually difficult to pass due to the narrow trail. This was frustrating at times, especially during down hill sections when I like to open up my stride. I had to keep reminding myself to be patient because it was going to be a very long race. At mile 5, I looked at my watch calculated the distance left, and actually thought to myself - “Only a marathon to go. I can do that.”

I had one close call in the race at about mile 15 when I tripped hard on a root. I managed to stay on my feet but banged my toe pretty bad. In fact, I was afraid at the time that I broke it. Luckily I was only about a mile out from the half way point. Stumbling along for that mile I felt something moving around inside my shoe and convinced myself that it was my toenail. When I reached the aid station I took time to take off my shoes and examine my toe which thankfully still had the nail. It was throbbing but I decided I could still run and was determined to continue. The pain subsided after a few miles but I would occasionally get a painful reminder of the injury when I landed wrong on something hard.

While I was examining my toe at the start/finish aid station I glanced at the person sitting next to me, a 15 miler who was done running for the day and devouring a hamburger like it was his last meal.  He was holding it tightly in both hands slouched over it as if to protect it from being snatched out of his grip.  I looked longingly at that burger while I shook the sand out of my shoe and secretly wished a strong breeze would blow some of that sand onto it.  I don’t think he would have cared.

After dropping the 15 milers, the second loop was very solitary and I ran for miles at a time without seeing anyone. We always seemed to catch up to each other at the aid stations though and the camaraderie was very warm. At Aid Station 2, about mile 24, every runner had the same question on their lips when they arrived, even though we all already new the answer: "How much farther from here?" It was 7 miles. The reaction was always the same. “I can do that!” I saw this ritual repeated time and time again in the few minutes that I rested there. The volunteers were awesome and handled each question as if it were the first time they had heard it.

My race strategy for the race was pretty straight forward:

Start slow
Slow down to take in fluids every mile
Walk the inclines

I carried a 20 oz water bottle to stay hydrated between the aid stations which were spaced 3-5 miles apart. This worked well on the first loop, but by the end of the second, with temperatures in the mid-80’s I was quite dehydrated. I will definitely need to improve my hydration in a longer race.

With this strategy I was able to maintain an average pace of 10:45 for the first loop. On the second loop I lost a lot of time at aid stations and I also found that my definition of an incline changed significantly, I slowed down for anthills. My pace slowed to 13:39. Overall I averaged 12:08 per mile and finished the 31 miles in 6:16:51, right in the middle of the pack. I hoped that I would be able to finish under 12:00 per mile, but I’m still pleased with my time considering that this was my first effort and I could have easily made up the difference just by managing my aid station breaks better.

Instead of a medal, the finisher’s award was a coffee mug. I am a coffee addict, so I know this one will get a lot of use. The finishers party had an atmosphere like a family picnic. They offered burgers, hot dogs, pasta and all the junk food you could desire. It usually takes me a while to get my appetite back after a race. After an hour of trying to rehydrate I finally reached for the closest thing at hand – chocolate cake. It immediately perked me up and the grazing began in earnest.

I did take one gamble with the race. I decided to wear my new Merrell Trail Gloves for the entire race. I put 80 miles on them in training, but never more than 14 miles in a single run so I was not sure how well I would manage in them for a continuous 31 miles. As a precaution I had a spare pair stashed in my drop bag but didn’t need them. My gamble paid off and the Trail Gloves worked great. With the exception of my toe, I didn’t have any “bad” pain during the race, not even a blister. The only issue I had was with sand and debris finding its way into the shoes. I had to stop three times to shake them out. I think some lightweight gaiters may help solve this problem. I absolutely love these shoes.

I am hooked on trail running now and on ultras. I will definitely return to this race next year and attempt the 50 mile run.

These caveman feet served me well.

Eat Like a Kid Again

I’m tapering again, which means it’s hard to focus on anything other than my upcoming 50k.

Today I killed time by researching and obsessing over fueling strategies during the race. It seems that the optimum fuel for these endurance events combines simple sugars (for a quick release of energy) with complex carbs (for a longer energy burn). The most frequently cited examples I find are:

Candy bars
Donuts
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Soda
and let's not forget about chocolate milk afterward for recovery.

I get to eat like a kid again and people still look at me like I’m crazy for running this far.