Jim said- "you're the only person I know who would be willing to run a 50k to get out of helping." That was why I said I was going to run on Saturday, it was either that or be drafted into volunteering at the event which included a 100k and I was pretty sure was going to include a lot of rain and yuck. Because what is volunteering without that? And for the most part it was worth it- except from about 10am- 11:23.
I wasn't nervous or dreading it all which is rare. That's because I hadn't run a 50k since the 12 hour run in March 2013 and a marathon since the Last Chance on New Year's Eve. Your body forgets things, even mine. I was naive enough to think up to right before the race that, I will just jog and it won't be that bad! Until the race started. Apparently jogging means running 7:57 pace, around 8:07 pace for 20 miles. I had one long run of around 20 miles since New Years and I could tell as soon as I hit 20 miles, the last 11 were tough at any pace, actually jogging ish now at around 9 minutes per mile, but feeling bad, not not that bad. Several minutes were lost at water stations because I was too thirsty to stop from drinking 3 or 4 cups. Stopping that late is just brutal, takes forever to get your legs moving again and then they are even more cranky.
Around and around, 6 times a 5 mile loop then a cruel little half mile out and back. The first mile long, out into nowheresville, then the second mile quick, next to the aid station, around the corner at halfway, then three miles by the farm sign, head down, make it to four, don't want to look, the last mile running back through the town, end of loop, do it all over again, times 6, mile marker 1 becomes 6, becomes 11, 16, 21, 26.
The 50k felt like a very cruel distance on Saturday. Not much longer than a marathon you think at the start, twenty one miles later it is twice as long as a marathon, 10 miles left when 5 sounds oh so much sweeter. Then 30 miles, 30 miles is a nice even number, the end of a lap, but the 50k has to be thirty one miles. Always have to remember that one extra, sticking out like a sore thumb. Don't forget about me, while you're on mile 22, 23, 24, 29, always have to add that extra mile to the list of miles left to run. Stupid 50k.
I ran faster than I was expecting for having not been training for the 50k, 4:23:04 with aid stops. Not bad for "jogging."
I wasn't nervous or dreading it all which is rare. That's because I hadn't run a 50k since the 12 hour run in March 2013 and a marathon since the Last Chance on New Year's Eve. Your body forgets things, even mine. I was naive enough to think up to right before the race that, I will just jog and it won't be that bad! Until the race started. Apparently jogging means running 7:57 pace, around 8:07 pace for 20 miles. I had one long run of around 20 miles since New Years and I could tell as soon as I hit 20 miles, the last 11 were tough at any pace, actually jogging ish now at around 9 minutes per mile, but feeling bad, not not that bad. Several minutes were lost at water stations because I was too thirsty to stop from drinking 3 or 4 cups. Stopping that late is just brutal, takes forever to get your legs moving again and then they are even more cranky.
Around and around, 6 times a 5 mile loop then a cruel little half mile out and back. The first mile long, out into nowheresville, then the second mile quick, next to the aid station, around the corner at halfway, then three miles by the farm sign, head down, make it to four, don't want to look, the last mile running back through the town, end of loop, do it all over again, times 6, mile marker 1 becomes 6, becomes 11, 16, 21, 26.
The 50k felt like a very cruel distance on Saturday. Not much longer than a marathon you think at the start, twenty one miles later it is twice as long as a marathon, 10 miles left when 5 sounds oh so much sweeter. Then 30 miles, 30 miles is a nice even number, the end of a lap, but the 50k has to be thirty one miles. Always have to remember that one extra, sticking out like a sore thumb. Don't forget about me, while you're on mile 22, 23, 24, 29, always have to add that extra mile to the list of miles left to run. Stupid 50k.
I ran faster than I was expecting for having not been training for the 50k, 4:23:04 with aid stops. Not bad for "jogging."
