"Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run." - Pre

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Free States 100K

Oh boy! First 100K in the books. It was an incredible race; like all races it had its ups and downs but in the end, it was the entire experience that counts. First time @the distance, I can't complain about the results. A little background on this race: the trails at Clinton State Park are NEVER dry. ever. And it had been raining in Lawrence for three days straight, so by race day the trails were soaked, and there was standing water over roughly 20% of the course...the rest was ankle to knee deep mud. If it wasn't for this, the course would have been crazy fast, 'cause it's all rolling hills but the total elevation gain is only 5000ish feet. The volunteers were the best ever, and this whole race was a perfect example of the spirit of ultra/trail running.

Anyway, I started out not feeling that great, I guess my head just wasn't in the game. Usually when I race, I've put in several months of solid training and by race day I'm ready to go out and kill it! But with only two weeks notice before this one, I didn't really put in any training. In the end it didn't matter though, 'cause running is about the heart - the only reason you train is to prep your body for the physical pounding it's gonna take, but to just finish an ultra you need mental toughness and can get away with minimal prep as long as you're in good shape to begin with.

The course was three loops, each just over 20 miles. It was an out-and-back with a big loop in between. I made a mistake early on; I missed the turnoff for the "back" on the first lap so I basically ran out, two loops, back, a second full lap, then a third of just out-and-back, minus what would have been a fourth loop. Confusing I know, but I'm too out of it to explain further. This actually turned out great for me, 'cause due to my unique position on the course, I got to run with several different groups of people. I started out with the 100K guys on the first loop. When I missed the turnoff I ended up with the marathoners, and ran that second loop and the "back" portion with the lead girl - we hit it off and had a great time doing that gasp/talk/pant thing. You runners know what mean! I also met a guy who teaches high school history in Lincoln, Nebraska, close to my birthplace. We chatted about teaching, and God, and all sorts of random stuff.

Then on my second full lap, I met the back-of-the-packers in the 100K. These guys are my heroes - while the rest of us are chillin' out with food, blankets and fun at the end of the race, busy complaining about how bad it hurts to run for 8-10 hours, these guys are out there running for longer than we ever have in our lives, and probably ever will. THAT is tough, people, 'cause they're out there by themselves, toughing it out and hurting in ways that only they know. I was so stoked to meet some of them, and was inspired by hearing their stories about Leadville, Kettle Moraine, and other insane ultras. Make no mistake people, these guys, no matter how "slow" they may be, are INCREDIBLE athletes!

But on the "back" portion of my second full lap, before my final out-and-back, I caught up with the lead male runner, and we paced each other 'till he finished. Man he was hurting! Not just physically but mentally 'cause he had no idea how close his competition was. With all those switchbacks and the sound of the rain and your own footfalls, it's impossible to tell if anyone is coming up on you. That pressure of not knowing how much of a lead you have, and your desperation to maintain it, is just awful. But he finished in first, and I was really grateful for the company.

Aaannnd for the last 10 miles of my race...hahaha. One of the guys I'd run with for a while told me a story about a race in which he fell less than a mile from the finish line, but thanks to his cracked ribs and broken ankle he couldn't finish. So I just kept telling myself, "don't do anything stupid, run fast but be careful!" And of course, not five minutes into this last section, I...well I'm not sure actually. I think I might have passed out? I remember wrenching my left ankle after catching it on a tree root, and I think I was falling...I ended up on my back, not sure how I got there, and had obviously hit my head, 'cause there was blood @the back, and I felt kind of dizzy and sick. I let myself sit for a minute or two, then began the loooong hobble to the finish line. I think it was about 8 miles...grrr. But this was a good lesson for me, 'cause I let my mind wander way to much during these races, and I have to remember that no matter where I am in the race, no matter how I feel, I have to keep my wits about me. I will never, ever, ever run a 100-miler without a pacer. I just can't concentrate enough, and one of these days I could really hurt myself.

But I finished! It was awesome, 'cause with less than two miles left I met this guy from my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, who designes satellites and military equipment. Can't believe that I sometimes complain about studying history...but he told me stories about the Leadville 50 and some other races that I've been thinking about doing in the next several years, and chatting with him really helped me feel better. And then the finish! YES!! No matter how much one loves running, it's always great to get to the finish 'cause 1) it's a race after all, and you've been running hard and are more than ready to be done and 2) you get an incredible feeling of accomplishment as you reflect on what you've just done. And the really cool part? I finished literally one minute before the downpour started. It had been raining on and off throughout the day, but boy it was coming down now! I chilled out with some other runners and the support crew for a bit, collected by belt buckle, then headed back to my friend's house.

Chris, thank you so much for letting me stay at your place and driving me everywhere! You and your parents are awesome!!!

So for my first 100K experience, it wasn't that bad. I'm racing the Vermont 100K in July, and I am going to SMASH that course. Kill it. I'll be in better condition, both mentally and physically. And that course shouldn't be muddy, it's hilly but I love that. I'll feel like a total wimp 'cause the Vermont 100 miler is the same day, but in February '11 I'll run my first 100 miles. So it's all good. So for now, I'm just praying like crazy that my ankles heal fast, or at least that the swelling goes down. This is my last full week to "officially" wear my senior boots and I don't want to miss any of that. If you're reading this, pray for me? I really appreciate it. Recovery time begins soon, I'm going to put my feet up and slather them with biofreeze, and get to work on my Latin assignments. Only three more weeks!!!

2 comments:

  1. Nice job on your first 100K, Rachel. It was a pleasure to have you at our race.

    Happy trails,
    Ben (& Sophia)

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  2. Enjoyed your report! This was my first 100K too. I am still too tired to write the report! Maybe tomorrow. Way to go and glad you were okay to finish!

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