101.3 Miles and a New Virginia State Record...oh my!

 Some years races are easy, other years you wonder if/why you run at all.  This year was my 6th year at the Crooked Road 24 hour ultra.  I love this race.  This is the most well supported race I have ever experienced in 41 years of racing.  For 24 hours, the volunteers kept me hydrated, full and motivated to continue.  Well...almost.  I better start at the beginning.  Being the most de-conditioned I have ever been before an ultra I knew there would be some dicey spots in the race.

 Beforehand, I had convinced myself that 80 miles was non-negotiable and 100 miles was my stretch goal.  I was the most relaxed I have ever been before staying awake for 24 hours and moving forward running and walking.  My dear friend, Tonia, let me stay at her house at the Virginia/North Carolina border with my puppy, Miles the night before. She graciously kept him so I could race as Dan was on a golf trip with the boys.  I actually slept like a champ (very unusual the night before a big event) and I got to Rocky Mount, VA around 7:10am.  Perfect amount of time to unpack, visit and get ready for an epic 24 hours.

 We had a little fun at the beginning of the race in this picture here:

 The weather was perfect for this type of event and the warmest this race has ever been to my recollection.  The plan was to run with Dena (who bypassed moving a couple of weeks later so she could be part of the race) till she left which was somewhere near 50 miles and darkness.  I was laser focused for my 80 miles so I was not as sad as I usually am when she deserts leaves me.  I was in good spirits and had fun chatting and running with Stephanie (a first time ultra runner who placed THIRD overall for females) till about 67 miles or so.  She was going to change clothes and get some food so I opted to just keep going because again I was stubborn laser focused for my goal.

Here is a view of part of the course.  I had our Jeep right along the course for all my supplies ( I knew it was going to rain in the middle of the night) and in case I wanted to lie down and nap for a little bit during the night. 

I allow myself to turn on my IPod and phone after 50 miles during an ultra, but I did not turn it on till mile 88.  Why?  I have NO idea.  Although it did start raining in the middle of the night TWICE.  I had a poncho that fell into pieces a few minutes after putting it on and luckily Ricky (the race director) gave me a trash bag that I wore till it stopped raining.  It was as long as I am so I was constantly pulling it up off the ground to prevent myself from tripping.  

At some point in the middle of the night I lost the stomach for food.  I could not find anything I wanted so I stuck with chicken broth and it seemed to help me tremendously.  I usually counsel people that if you get behind in your food (which apparently I did) and you stop taking in food you are toast.  Well...I felt like toast, but somehow managed to KEEP GOING.  In retrospect I should have figured out SOMETHING to eat.  During the day I ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like they were my job.  I actually stayed away from the really bad sugar, but did allow myself ginger ale and an occasional coke during the night.  These drinks are in 2 oz. doses, so I did not consume much sugar at all.  I did have the McDonalds hamburgers, but I refrained from the pizza this year.  But hey, there is a first time for everything.  Me turning down pizza?

When daybreak came I had less than 5 miles to go to hit my goal.  I became very emotional at around 7am for some reason.  I couldn't point at any particular thing except maybe the lack of food.  I was almost inconsolable the last 2.3 miles.  I was so emotional, in fact, that Dena called Johnny and Melanie and they ran around the course trying to find me and helped me emotionally get over myself and get an extra lap to win this race for females.  

Was I happy to break the Virginia State Record again?  YOU BET.  Was I happy to be over 50 and winning a race?  YOU BET.  Will I do it again?   Hhhmmm...it's still too early to think about it for 2018.  

Here is the official list of finishers and their total mileage.  There were 10 people over 100 miles with 2 of the finishers being females.  

Here is Mark and myself accepting our overall Male and Female award complete with the cutest little Banjo I have ever seen.  I am currently coveting it on my kitchen counter.  I have never been so tired, yet so happy.  

Here are the Greensboro friends that were there at the end to cheer, hug, cry and celebrate with after the race.  Johnny, Amy, Stephanie, and Melanie.

 I do not know what is next for me, but I look forward to the next adventure! 

The Tsunami before the Calm 24 hours of Relentless Forward Motion

Race week.  It brings a tsunami of emotions.  What am I thinking....I cannot run for 24 hours.  True.  There is quite a bit of walking involved WITH the running (if all goes well).  Last year was not my year.  There were horrible winds that blew (my friend) Dena and I all over the course and we decided to 'pack it in' 62 miles into the race.  We left some unfinished business out there on the course.  This year I am committed to seeking my second 100+mile completion within 24 hours.  I am FULLY committed to 80 miles and I am MOSTLY committed to 100.  I can do this.  I've done this before.

 The week of a race I let doubt and anxiety creep into my psyche but I am old and hopefully wise enough to continue to ignore the fear of the unknown.  Any given day anyone can do anything they put their mind to.  I continually tell myself, "What the mind will believe, the body can achieve". 

I have started my packing for the weekend.  I tend to over pack because I would rather have too much stuff than not enough.  With the weather being iffy in the afternoon, you do not want to mess with mother nature and wearing dry clothes is a MUST.  Each year is a different story of what I need and must have.

 I have run in snow at Crooked Road, but never rain.  There is a chance of rain this year and I am reminded of a Lululemon Product Photo Shoot where I was running in 40 degree rainy weather and laughing about it.  It shouldn't be this cold but at least I have a frame of reference on laughing in the rain.  Who knows, maybe I will start singing.

 Whatever Saturday will bring, I will bring what I have and with the utmost energy and enthusiasm.  Heck- if I can pull off a 3:34:17 at the NYC Marathon with a hurt toe (I kicked a subway grate by accident after sliding on a paper cup in the road) then I can run/walk a 100 miles.  Right?! 

This picture epitomizes that I will go from girly grace to grit in a nanosecond.  Don't count this princess out.  I have plenty left to prove in the running world.

When I finally get to the starting line of the Crooked Road 24 hour ultra I will find my calm rhythm and crank out the mileage; one mile at a time. 

Running DOES Connect Us! When a Partner Moves Away

Running connects us.  You've seen the tag line, phrase, etc. all over Facebook.  What does that mean?  Yes you feel a chain-link sense of community of like minded people but what happens when a link moves away?  

I have had the luxury of great running partners that have circled in and out of my life over my 4 decades of racing.  I try and keep in touch as much as feasibly possible but I know (and hope they know) what an indelible mark they have inked in my soul.

Everyone has that one friend that is up for ANYTHING.  Dena is one of those friends that said, "Let's do a 24 hour race" and BOOM we did it for the next 7 years in a row.  Several years we went step for step for at least the first 50 miles and some years we were just there breathing the same air.  Dena is one of those women who I strive to imitate; assertive, confident and driven.  

Dena has been dabbling in the triathlon world so our weekend long run has been disrupted but I know if I truly needed her she would be there in a heartbeat. Dena is moving to Atlanta (whelp) and I am SUPER excited for her, and SUPER sad for me.  Yes we will still stay in touch (I am currently teaching her that cell phones are actually a phone and not a texting machine) but running together will be few and far between. 

When she first told me she got the job I was ecstatic and then she told me she might be moving the weekend of our infamous 24 hour Crooked Road (best 24 hour race out there. Period.  You cannot convince me otherwise. Ever) ultra I was crestfallen.  Yes I just typed that word:  crestfallen.  This was OUR race.  This was OUR time to completely catch up in life. Who am I going to talk to for 24 hours?  Okay:  I talk to EVERYONE all day and night in that race so maybe that part will not change.  

If you see me during the race or on Facebook on November 18-November 19th, send me a little love. I will need it.

One more thing you might not know about Dena and me, we have run together every Christmas morning since 2012 (or is it 2013).  We wake up early and my family does not.  We run in the crisp early morning air with virtually no one outside.  We run the number of miles in the upcoming year.  This year would be have 18 miles for 2018.  I will probably return to me running solo to the cemetery a couple of miles away from our home wishing all the headstones a very Merry Christmas.  I do this every Thanksgiving also because my Mom has been buried in Maryland since 1992 and I have not visited her since then because I live so far away.  Hopefully she knows I am thinking of her.

Footnote:  This is what happens when I write- I sit on it too long and forget to post.Thank you, Sheri, for the reminders! 

The Elusive 100 miles in 24 hours is Finally Mine and I have a Virginia State Record to Prove It!

It's been (gulp) a week since I ran the Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra, but the miles still seem fresh.  This was the first year I achieved breaking the 100 mile barrier and ironically this year was the easiest.  Was I stronger than last year?  Probably yes.  Was I more patient than last year?  Decidedly so.  Was I more relaxed about it this year?  ABSOLUTELY.  I have photographic proof of my calmness.  In previous years I would not have stopped long enough for a photo for fear of being late to the starting line.  We were definitely bundled up because it was 21 degrees outside.  The good news is that we knew this would be the coldest it would get throughout the next 24 hours.

Me, Chris Bean, Trish Lebsack & Josie Whitmore

I coerced convinced some tennis/running friends into participating in the Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra.  Trish Lebsack & Chris Bean came to cheer me on last year with another friend, Chris Walker. Even though I had a rough day (didn't feel well, even colder than this year complete with snow showers) they loved the party atmosphere of a 24 hour race.  You see, everyone has different goals and aspirations but the common denominator is everyone has FUN!  The volunteers are awesome and since the loop is only .95 miles long you get to see everyone quite often.  By far, this is my favorite course.  I liken it to cupcake racing.  You get food and drink every .95 miles.  What's not to love?

Trish, Josie, Chris and myself show up to the starting line and it's like a reunion of sorts.  Usually at the start of a race candid shots of me closely resemble someone about to throw up, not this time.  I found this one and I look like I'm happy and confident. I don't know if I'm stretching or strutting.

 I got the most sleep I've ever gotten before one of these type of races and felt FULLY ready to tackle my 100.  My friend, Charlie Engle, and I shared a picnic table under the shelter.  Every year I've procured the same table.  I think his superior talent rubbed off on me which enabled me to break a 100.  Anyway, I had oodles of stuff (as usual) because  you never know what you are going to need for a 24 hour race.  I knew Charlie was going to be there all night, but I knew I had my friend Jen Pack running with me for a little in the evening (she ran 10 miles with me!) and Pam (who I met at this race several years earlier and I adore) running with me at 2am.  My friend, Dena, shared the table with us, but didn't show up for the race until the start.  In fact, I didn't see her until a couple of laps into the race.  We are sole sister racing buddies and good friends.  We have worked together at 24 hour races before and have pushed each other to new distances that we never thought possible.  She and I mostly ran together the first 50 miles.  She had logged many more miles than me the last couple of months, so her body was done after 50.  If she had not done a 24 hour race,  a marathon, etc. I think she would have been right there by my side.  We took a little photo somewhere in the 35-50 mile range.

Unlike last year, I decided that I was not going to attack the sugar table until deep into the race.  I think this may have had a big impact on my blood sugar levels.  I felt great throughout and I did not have a single gummy bear, oreo, etc.  I did have my magical elixir, coke, but I didn't have any until after the 50 mile mark.  I took a couple of ounces every 5-8 miles.  I did drink some Nuun, Heed, Gatorade and water throughout.  Another reason I had so much fun was that we had so many friends from Greensboro running in the event.  Everyone arrived with different plans, but it was so exciting seeing everyone throughout the day and into the night.

Food.  I probably didn't eat enough of it, but I did have Kashi bars, banana chips, Honey Stinger waffles and peanut butter crackers.  Crooked Road provided McDonald's hamburgers, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, soup, and pizza.  I stayed away from dairy this year, but had plenty of sandwich squares and chicken broth to fill up on.  The volunteers made it easy.....I would ask for broth and by the next time you arrived at the table, it would be there.  It was magical!  I also had some great help from Chip and Kerri Person.  They are Wilder's parents and it was so nice seeing them every mile while Wilder completed 50 miles!  I was so proud of his progress in this sport.  Longevity does not come overnight and he is well on his way to really make an impact in this sport.

Around 2am I (for some unknown reason) felt like I could not have solid food anymore.  I wasn't feeling bad, but I just knew I didn't want to eat anything.  I then switched to broth, Muscle Milk, Gu's and Honey Stinger Chews until I finished.  I never had GI issues (unlike the year before) which was lucky. I also never felt delirious and I definitely didn't do any death marching.  I was running, jogging and power walking throughout.  I don't think I slowly walked at all as a matter of fact.

Pam and I ran a few laps but I soon sent her to administer to the runners that really needed her.  I was feeling great.  Unfortunately we were passing some people that were doing a death march slow, staggered walk so I told her I felt great and they needed her more than me.  I continued my jogging/race walking as I counted down the laps I needed to achieve my goal.  I even took a selfie in the brand new heated bathroom with only 4 1/2 laps to go!

The eyes were definitely tired looking and the heavy salt intake was taking its toll.  But.....the bathroom was warm and I wanted 1 more minute of warmth....taking a picture seemed normal (maybe I was a bit delirious?).  Maybe it was foreshadowing because this picture proved to be the signal for my friends, Mel and Christine, to get there fast because I was going to finish ahead of schedule!  I had no idea they were coming.

Every time I was within 50 feet or so of the volunteer table I would say, "HHHHIIIIIIIII    Taaaaaarrrrrraaaaaaaa" (yes, I dragged out her name that long because it was great to see her each lap!)  Well....when she yelled that I just finished 105 laps my smile was huge, but when Mel and Christine appeared I went euphoric.  I remember jumping up and down (knocking my headlamp off) yelling, "You came!" over and over and over.  I then remember giggling like a kid at Christmas and we took off.  I forewarned the girls at the table that they might hear some yelling when I reached the 100 mile sign, but that I was okay.  The 3 of us took off hand in hand and we screamed at the top of our lungs at the sign....well, the girls at the table screamed back.  We couldn't stop laughing.  We ran the rest of the lap and I stopped.  Yes, I stopped.  My goal was 100 miles.  I completed 100.7.  Could I have gone on for the next hour and a half?  I don't know.  All I knew is that I felt so great I didn't want to jinx myself.  I then cheered Emily on to break the Virginia State Record for her age group and overall.  Little did I know that I broke a Virginia State Record that day for my 45-49 year old age group and ended up 2nd overall female. I sat by the fire and waited for my husband to pick me up.  When Dan arrived I think he thought he was going to walk a few laps with me, but I was already done.  We He packed up all my things and I decided I couldn't wait for the awards ceremony.  The tiredness set in.  Ricky Scott, the race director, handed me my precious jewel.  I couldn't have been more proud to receive this

My day got just a little bit brighter because I was inducted into the Team Buttercup group.  Bill Keane, pictured here with Amy Surrette and myself sent me a "Suck It Up Buttercup" shirt and the 100 mile sign he confiscated from the course.  I talked to that sign for 106 laps....I truly YELLED to that sign 106 times.  I cannot wait to hang it in my home office.

Sorry this was so long, but I am trying to blog a little more often.  I keep reminding myself it doesn't have to be big or epic.  It just has to 'be'.   Happy Running !!

I would love to have you follow me on following social media sites:

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I felt lazy not running in a Thanksgiving Day/Weekend race, but I did manage to run 10 miles on Saturday with Jeriann and her husband, Byron.  We ran happy....can you guess who's wearing the dirty shoes?

The 2014 Road to Crooked Road, a year in quick review

Well....I finally did it.  I completed 100.7 miles within 24 hours. Actually, due to my poor math skills, I  completed it in 22 hours 27 minutes. I thought I was in the 23rd hour so I was actually running quite a bit those last couple of hours thinking I was going to be racing the clock.  Seeing as I have not had time to blog in the last YEAR, I thought I should give  a quick recap of the year and the race and then go into more specifics of the race in a separate post.

2014.  What a year it has been thus far.  To be honest, it has flown by not just because I am getting old  seasoned, but also because I returned to the full-time work force in February.  I am back in the wellness industry at Starmount Forest Country Club which is 3.5 miles from my house.  I have the privilege of imparting my passion for wellness to a great group of members.  Besides loving my job, I have the most incredible view from my desk.  Most who know me know I don't sit well, but if you have to sit to get paperwork done, a great view of the golf course helps!

A couple of days before I started my job, I paced the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon.  I LOVE pacing races.  I get out of my own head and focus on helping my group achieve their goal.  I paced the 1:45 group and I take my job seriously!  I always forewarn my pace group that I will indeed talk the whole time.  I also tell them I will sing, joke and get the crowd involved.  I am enjoying some high success rates because they are relaxed and laughing. There is no better compliment than to have someone come to me after it's over telling/hugging me that I helped them achieve a personal best.  If I could, I would pace every weekend.  Here is one of the only photos I have from that day, my friend Melanie and I picking up our pacing shirts.

March brought me participating in the Wrightsville Beach Half Marathon.  I was with awesome friends, but I was food poisoned the day before the race and didn't have anything in my system for over 24 hours.  I ran the race because I signed up for the race.  I pulled back every time I felt dizzy, and just enjoyed the run.  This is a theme this year......I've been running    h   a   p   p  y  .  I know I don't look very happy in this photo, but I had had zero food for over 28 hours and ran this race and somehow kept everything together.  I was indeed happy!

April brought  another pacing job.  This time it was the Raleigh Rock & Roll Marathon.  I was entrusted with the 4 hour pace group....and as you can see by the picture I took my job seriously had an incredible time getting my group in on time.  In fact, with the exception of only a few I had most of my group ahead of me.  This day was hot, hot, hot.  I was carrying 6 extra Gu's in my pocket and begged my group to stay hydrated.  This was probably the hardest pacing job I ever encountered because of the humidity and the sun.  Two people lost their lives in the half marathon this day, and my prayers still remain with these 2 families.  Rock & Roll events are incredible because they are well organized and  hearing the bands throughout the course make it even more fun!  

Due to a last minute phone call from a dear running friend, Rebecca Byerly, of Women of the Mountain, I was invited to pace her in Lake Tahoe during her Tahoe 200 race (may I just say it is REALLY 202 miles) in September.  It was a whirlwind trip I will never forget.  I flew and drove to Tahoe getting there somewhere around 2am with a Greensboro high school student named Wilder Person.  Wilder and I became fast friends even with the decades between us because we were there to get Rebecca across the finish line at all cost.  Wilder is not a seasoned runner and did over 40 miles with Rebecca.  Amazing!  I ended up pacing somewhere in the neighborhood of 90 miles and collectively we helped get Rebecca to the finish line as the 4th overall female.  It was easy being her friend and mentor, it was hard getting tough with her a few times as she battled fatigue.  I was so happy to help her, this picture is one of my favorites......

I ran a few other races, but by far my biggest race this year was the Denver Rock N Roll Marathon.  My hubby and I flew out to Colorado on a Friday, explored downtown Denver that afternoon and spent the next day hiking up near Boulder.  I knew I was going to have fun at Denver and not try to race it, so hiking for many hours in the mountains seemed normal to me.  I fell in love with Colorado and hope to return one day soon.  I encountered some altitude issues during the race on Sunday, but I ran happy.  I ended up 17th woman overall but the most interesting note is that I was the first female NOT from Colorado on the results list.  In my crazy world, I consider that a win!  I look too fresh for just running a marathon, but my time was pretty (relatively) slow for me.

Now we come to Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra.  This race is a true test of your will and determination.  It gets dark by 5:15pm and doesn't get light again till almost 7am.  That is a LONG time to be running with a headlamp.  Crooked Road is set in a park near Rocky Mount, VA and is a certified .95 mile loop.  Notice I said .95, not 9.5!  May I just say I LOVE this loop.  It gave me 106 times to say hello to the great volunteers and more opportunity to run into people.  I love people!  Especially during a 24 hour race.  Here is a photo of my Greensboro Sole Sister, Dena, who was with me when I started running Crooked Road 4 years ago.  If you haven't read any of my previous posts from Crooked, I invite you to because this year's experience was NOTHING like the previous years.  I will explain that in more detail in an upcoming post.

I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving and thank you for reading. I hope to write a full race report by the weekend!  I leave you with a few things I am thankful for:

1.  I am thankful I have the most wonderful husband, family and friends who support, lift, and encourage me.  More importantly, they accept me the way I am.
2.  I am thankful I have remained a healthy runner thanks to cross training and actually listening to my body.
3.  I am thankful I love running everything from the 800m to 100 miles.
4.  I am thankful that I surround myself with women who empower me and not try to tear me down.
5.  I am thankful I was born with endless energy which probably drives many people crazy :)
6.  I am thankful I have met so many incredible people through a sport I love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hinson Lake 92.7 miles.....Believe in your dream; your body will follow

I am currently on the couch thinking about all the wonderful memories I have from last Saturday's Hinson Lake 24 hour Ultra.  I am still in complete shock that I exceeded my goal of 90 miles.  Our local newspaper reporter (and fellow runner friend) Eddie Wooten, asked Dena & I to write a short report on the race, so here are the basics that I shared with him:

The race: 8^th Annual Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra Classic

September 28^th – 29^th, 2013

The place: Hinson Lake, Rockingham, NC

    My entry fee: $24.00

      About the race: Run as many miles as you can around a 1.52 trail loop. There were many runners that came to just put in a few laps and there were some who relentlessly hammered out a ridiculous amount of miles.

          Entry limited to 240 runners.  
      

Why I went: This was my first year at Hinson Lake.  My friend, Dena, told me how great it was to run a longer loop than Crooked Road (1.52 instead of .95 miles per lap).  She was definitely correct.

        My goal going into the race was 90 miles (I completed 75 miles last year at Crooked Road, so it was a natural progression).  I completed 92.7 miles. 

      

 Pluses:  This type of race is ideal because you are only minutes away from food, drink, bathroom, massage table, and PEOPLE!  The people in and around this race are fantastic.  Most everyone chatted, even in the middle of the morning.  

      

     Minus: It gets dark and once it gets dark it is hard to keep your energy levels at an optimum level.  The temperature only went down to 54 degrees, but after running all day my body definitely felt cold in the middle of the night.

 

I ran in 3 different pairs of shoes and I think I have a complete collection of every type of sand used to create the path in my shoes. Not sure if I need a washing machine or a trashcan.

 

     Racing tidbit:  I can be out on a 6 mile run and feel like it is an eternity.  I’m out on this course and if I feel like walking..Guess what?!  I WALK!  (I ran approximately 27 miles before I did any walking-if I plan on breaking a 100 miles, I’m going to need to walk earlier). 

      

     Another morsel-you really do not tire of the loop.  It was really great because you start over a bridge, then you pass all the tables of lap counters.  After the lap counters are the tables of drinks (Gatorade, water and the magical elixirs: Ginger ale, Coke & Mountain Dew).  Many of the runners set up tents along the lakeside so that by the time you pass all the fun people crewing for their runners you’ve already hit ¼ mile marker.  Then you cross a whole lot of foot bridges (in the dark you pray you are running straight so you don’t fall off).  There is a really long 300’ bridge complete with a gazebo before you enter what they call Mt. Hinson, and what I call climbing land of roots, divets holes, and loose sand.  This section was challenging mentally and physically once you started getting tired.  Then it was the section where you were counting the sewer lids till you saw the last ¼ mile marker (up a brief hill) which emptied you into the parking lot near the bridge where you began.  Some laps seemed to go by so quickly, other laps felt like an eternity.

 

In my last blog, I told you that my friend, Dena, was also participating in the event.  She exceeded her goal as well.  We probably couldn't have done it without the help of her husband, Blair, and some friends, Melissa & Daniel.  Here are some pictures with some of the gang, Blair took the picture so he's missing!  No other race would I have dared to stop and take a photo...that would have been valuable seconds!  That's one of the biggest reasons I love these ultra events.

 

Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra

I was afraid to tell anyone my goal.  I didn't want to disappoint anyone, most of all myself.  I envisioned me accomplishing my goal but I had reservation because I wasn't sure if I would be recovered enough from racing in a half marathon the weekend before.  I finished in 1:30:42 and won my 45-49 age group at the Richmond American Family Fitness Half.  It wasn't a PR, but I felt like I ran pretty hard. After the half I had a full week with classes and clients and continually thought about my goal:  75 miles.  Seemed incredibly lofty since I quit after 56 laps last year.  Only a few friends knew the details because I was experiencing some fear of failure issues.  The more the week progressed the more I decided I was being silly and needed to articulate my race intentions.  I announced it to my noon class at the Yafter a vigorous BodyPump class on Thursday.  There...I said it, even explained how I was going to accomplish it.  I was going to walk more than I did the previous year.  My nervousness began to kick in.  I hate to disappoint people, especially myself.  To make matters worse, I intentionally started this blogsite the night before the event so I would have my intentions immortalized on the internet.  After writing the first entry I tried to go to sleep.  Sleep eluded me until almost midnight.  I woke up before my alarm at 6 and nervously gathered my belongings and got into my car.

I arrived and unloaded all my bags I thought I would need for the 24 hours.  Dena, my friend, and I brought way too much stuff last year when we participated in this race.  I am sheepishly admitting I brought just as much stuff, if not more.  This year I brought in addition to 2 big bags of clothes 2 yoga mats, sleeping bag, pillow etc.  I also brought tons of food that I did not eat because the organizers had a bountiful table filled with  pretzels, M&M's, grapes, raisins, bananas, cookies, burgers, soup, etc.  I was able to make it to the starting line with 10 seconds to spare and we all took off.

It was great running into several runners that I competed with last year.  Runners in ultra events are extremely friendly. There is nothing like a small loop and 24 hours to really get to know some of the people around you.  I was known as the smiling lady because even in the cold of night, I was thrilled to be where I was.

I'm sure I will blog about specific memories from this race, but for now...here are some photos taken by the race director, Ricky Scott.  Who, may I add, was very inspirational to me and helpful when I started doubting myself.  Here are some photos

This is the one and only hill on the course.  This is early in the race....although I smile throughout the rest of the photos, I can assure you I truly  f e l t  the smile in this photo.  I felt great.  I felt great until about mile 31.  More on that later.
The temperatures were in the 30's to begin with and warmed up to 50 something and then got very, very cold at night.

It warmed up nicely in the afternoon, so I was able to take off layers.  Yes, I'm still smiling.  Let me leave you with 2 more photos.  First one is taken around 1am and I was freezing, shivering and trying to keep warm by the fire with help from Johnny and Gloria who bundled me up and brought me soup.  They thought I was done. 

I'm smiling, but this was because I was finally getting warm.  I had 4 layers of clothes on, 2 scarves, hat, and gloves with hot hands in them and I was still cold!  Here is the end of today's story:

The photo says 23 hours, 17 minutes and 26 seconds.  I can now say I'm an ultra runner, but I still feel like a miler :)

In health and wellness,
Cindy

Starting at the very beginning

Well..hi there.  Welcome to health and wellness on the run.  Literally.  On the Run.  I'm a runner.  We are a diverse, interesting bunch of people.  I hope you will sit down and read a little, laugh a little and want to share some of your experiences here on this blog.
I am going to start by saying tomorrow I'm embarking on a physically grueling challenge.  I am participating in the Crooked Road 24 Hour Ultra.  I cannot say this is my first because I attempted this last year and when it got cold and dark I left after 10 hours and 53 miles.  I am excited about this endeavor because this year I am going solo.  Yup.  My incredibly patient and understanding husband, Dan, is away on a golf outing with some fraternity brothers in Pinehurst, NC.  Last year he never uttered any complaints, but I felt guilty about him sitting (freezing) there watching me go around and around (did I mention around) a .95 mile loop in a park in Rocky Mount, VA.  With him gone I am excited to push myself farther than I thought possible last year. 
Last year I did not use my Ipod at all.  This year I have charged up 3 Ipods and even downloaded an audiobook.  I packed my sleeping bag, pillow, foam roller, marathon stick and more simple carbs than you can imagine. 
Running has been my life since 7th grade when we had to do a mile for the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.  I knew I was an athletic soccer and basketball player but didn't know the world of running till I finished my first mile in 6:02.  I still don't know if running was an instantaneous love, or if beating the boys was more compelling.  30+ years later and I'm still running. 
Well...I am going to stop rambling and try to rest for my big event tomorrow.  I am lucky enough to have a great friend allow me to stay at her lakehouse to shorten my drive to the starting line.  I will definitely keep you posted!
In health and wellness,  Cindy