50 Miles and the battle within

Running has always been a joy of mine and has come somewhat easy since I was young. I did a lot of running around as a kid, at school, and jumped off every thing on the playground as well as at home. I started Krashing at a young age hence the nickname. At one time I had stitches and a broken hand. I think Instacare knew me by first name and I had a medical file an inch or 2 thick.

Hope Valley Zions

Boston 2007

Disney world 2005

 My mom got me started racing when I was 10. We would run almost every morning around our neighborhood in prep for my first 10 k. After finishing my first half marathon at Canyonlands and first Ogden marathon back in 2002, I was hooked and wanted to run faster. I spent a couple years chasing the sub 3 hour marathon goal and finally did it with a time 2:56 at St. George. At the same time I received some influence from some friends to run trail. As many of you know I don't know how to take things slow and I blew up at mile 20 of my first 50 k in 2006. I did a lot of things wrong that day as many first timers do, like lead the race at the half way and not drink enough. Since then I have learned a ton about ultra trail running and proper hydration. But one thing I do know is heat, me, and running don't mix.

The week leading up to the Buffalo 50 miler I kept looking at the weather for the park and it was forecasted to be hotter than normal on the playground. Didn't matter how much I prayed it didn't change, and I did a lot of it. My plan was to drink at every water fountain as well as between and not cause any trouble on the playground. I don't normally go looking for trouble. It just finds me. Last year I ran the 100 miler on the island. I had played on the swings, the jungle gym and the teeter totter that day, was headed to the elephant head slide and this big, much older guy, who has a rap as a bully wouldn't even let me and my friends climb the ladder. He is known by many names but to us he is called Earl. As we approached him cautiously and slowly, we thought we could intimidate him to get off the slide and let us play. It was 5 against one. Great odds right? Little did we know he didn't want us to play in his park. He charged us with great speed and we scattered like cockroaches when the lights get turned on. I headed up the hill while my friend ran and hid behind a big rock. We stayed clear of Earl and went on our way.

I have run several 50 miles and hoping to make this one my fastest. I put in countless hours and miles to accomplish my goal. All I had to do is stick to the plan and have fun. It was race day and I couldn't wait to hit the trail with all my friends. I spent the night on the island with my family. I stayed up just a little too late helping my wife at the aid station.  There was supposed to be another volunteer but he failed to show. We ran the Lower Frary aid stop for the 100 milers. My wife took the night shift with my mother. I got a ride from Chris Anderson to the start from Lower Frary and upon arriving realized I had forgotten my New Garmin 910x GPS watch. Like always, I told myself "c'est le vie". It's a French expression for "That's life, such is life, or Sh** happens." I wasn't going to let anything get in my way of having a great day. Just before the race was about to start my super mega awesome wife shows up with my GPS watch. (Even though when she showed up I just looked at her weird, but she curtsied for all the whistlers that cheered when she kissed me). My prayers may have not helped the weather but a good start was on my side.

 I love running in the dark especially with a big group when you are able to look back and see the train of lights headed up the trail. As dawn approached I came through the Elephant head aid stop with lots of cheers from the Wasatch Mountain Wranglers. I grabbed some Dew and a super yummy homemade cinnamon roll that Jennalyn had made. It was so divine it started a dance party in my stomach that continued for miles. I decided to run the big loop first and then the out and back to elephant head after. I had the loop almost to myself. I felt my quads a little tight at mile 10. I didn't think much of it and kept plugging along. After finishing the loop I started running into other runners and many of them being friends. It was great to see them and see how they were doing. Flying through the elephant head aid station again I felt on top of the world and that nothing could take me down. No sooner did I step aside for another runner when the playground took me down hard. It felt like I was being pushed down by the bully of the playground. I try not to krash especially on race day but I landed on my right shoulder and cheek bone. My left hand kissed a rock and it bit me hard. I can honestly say I left blood, sweat, and tears on the trail. I later found out that I bruised a rib on my right upper chest. I don't recommend coughing or sneezing with a bruised rib. I held pressure on my right hand like I was taught as a boy scout for about 2 miles but it was relentless to stop. Coming into the Elephant head aid stop for the last time I asked for some first aid. Craig Llyod said "Spit on it and throw some dirt on it. Your fine". Some one else asked if I wanted a band aid and I knew that wouldn't help. I needed some gauze and tape. The Wasatch Mountain Wranglers Pit crew did phenomenal and put me back together. Matt Williams corbanded my hand and I was back on the playground looking for a fight.

 Some where around mile 22 I started to feel the twinges of cramps coming on and started to back off the pace. I know I cramp during races but didn't think it would happen until much later. By mile 24 I knew it was going to be a long pain staking day and that I was in trouble. I felt like I had drank plenty but not enough Mtn Dew. I never feel like I can drink enough Dew. I have been tempted to fill the bladder in my pack with it and I will some day (Wife says it will make my dew flat). I had consumed salt pills every hour for the first few hours and two an hour after that. The rest of the race was a roller coaster. By mile 28 I cramped so bad that I couldn't walk and it wouldn't relinquish its death grip on my right leg. I was ready to call it quits if I couldn't walk anymore.

"Call it quits, you can't even walk."
"How do I get back to lower Frary? I can't walk."
"The road is right over there. You can hitch a ride."
"How am I going to do 22 more miles like this?"
"See, it's time to go sit down and get some Dew."
"Wait I can do this. I don't care how long it's going to take."

Aaron Williams came along and gave me two Tums and a minute later things improved but it didn't completely fix the problem. On my way back to lower Frary I ran in to Sam Jewkes. First thing out of his mouth was some yelling rant to get running.

"What are you doing way back here? Get running" Sam yelled at me.
"I can't run. My legs are cramping up like crazy."
"I don't care, get running."


"I'm trying."
"I don't care. Shut up and run!"
"Fine I will" I yelled back. What a jerk ;)

 The rest of the race my legs didn't get any better no matter how much I fueled. My sweet daughter (she's 11) tried to convince me to let her run with me the rest of the way to the finish. She is not ready for 12 miles yet, but will be in May for her next half marathon. I finally agreed to let her run the last 5 with me and it was a blast having her with me. It helped me focus on other things than the pain in my legs.

The BIG question is what did I do wrong? What can I learn from this?

1) As much as I love helping other runners accomplish their goals and helping with races, it might not be the best thing the day before a big race. I was on my feet a lot that day and it didn't feel like much but it adds up.
2) Drink, drink, and drink some more on hot days. I know I don't do well with the heat. I thought I was drinking enough but I wasn't.
3) Stick to the plan. I felt great early on, but I do think I pushed it a bit too hard too early.
4) Don't forget to take the salt pills. For this race I was on top of that one from the first hour.
5)The mental battle within is hard to fight.
6) You will always have your ups and downs in a race. I don't let my low points take me down. I think to myself or say out loud that this is going to get better and the cramps are going fade away. Sometimes my legs would relax for a mile and other times it was ten feet. As hard as it was, I was still moving forward. I had not just come to do run a fast race but to finish. This race is a huge reminder that I am not super human. Even if some of you may think otherwise.

I am moving forward to next big race. I will not forget the trials and doubt I had of finishing. Learning from our mistakes is the key to not making them again and ensuring then next race doesn't end up like that last one. (My wife says I often forget my mistakes and keep repeating them all the time!) I disagree!

I am now working with the running store Endurance Athletics in Spanish Fork on how to fix some of the problems I encountered during the Buffalo 50 miler. I am overhauling my eating, drinking, and supplements plan. I am trying some new things suggested by Endurance Athletics and feel confident they will work (My wife really hopes it helps too!).