Running a 24 hour race 101
I have called my race report this because the most common question people asked me was “how are you going to do that”. My answer was “I don’t have a clue; I will let you know once I finish”. Other common questions, “are you mad” and “how long do you think it will take you”.
My initial race plan was to use an 8:2 run/walk strategy and right up to race start this was my goal. However, standing at the start line I changed my mind to 16:4. My thought was that would give me a good warm up first and I could always drop back to 8:2 later. I also had 3 pairs of shoes, a fish bin full of clothes, a chair, first aid kit and no crew.
Once the race started I just settled into my comfortable running pace, remembering to wave at my lap counter every lap to make sure they were awake, grabbing drink and food every walk lap.
My first milestone was 100 laps (40 km) and I reached that in 4:11. I was aiming to post milestones and photos on Facebook, and this one received a couple of comments to “slow down” and “pace yourself”. However I was quite happy with my pace so I kept going.
50 km was done in 5:26. At this point I was starting to slow a bit. It was hard to run the 18 minutes. However I stuck to it and just after the 6 hour mark I was at 56 km and 7th place.
At the 8 hour shoe change I also changed my run/walk strategy. I found that I could comfortably run 3 laps then walk 1. I stuck with this strategy, apart from a few double walk laps, until the 21 hour mark. It is also during this time that I passed a lot of people.
A lot of people seemed to struggle once it got dark, whereas my sense of humour improved. I joked with the lap counters, crews and other runners constantly. I also ticked off another milestones; 100 km in 11:07.
At about the 14 hour mark I started to notice a pain in my left shin. It only hurt when I walked and wasn’t that uncomfortable. So I just popped some ibuprofen and kept going. It also started raining. However it wasn’t cold so I just threw on a light jacket and kept going.
I realised that I was going to easily make my 160 km target so set myself a goal of getting it before daylight. And at just under 20 hours I ticked it off. 100 miles was celebrated very shortly afterwards at 20:06. At this point I was living on custard and peaches, custard and apple crumble, custard anything. Also had some miso soup which tasted divine, just not with custard.
It was at this point, as I was changing my shoes for the last time, that I saw the damage I had done to my leg. Not really sure what it meant I elected to ease right back and basically walked the last 3 hours. If it hadn’t been for another runner being only 10 km behind me I would have probably stopped. That and the encouragement of the lap counters and other support crew got me to push on and achieve 180+ km.
Afterwards, it was warm clothing, prize-giving, hot shower, more food, 2 hour drive home then a small nap. The next day I could hardly walk, my injured leg swelled up, so I visited my doctor who was basically speechless when I explained what I had done. He gave me pain killers and sent me for an x-ray. Sounds like all ok.
A week and a ½ on, the pain is less. Looks like just shin splints, probably from spending 4 hours wearing old shoes. I will not make that mistake next time. Yes there will be a next time. I have to go for 200 km.
“Attitude is the Difference Between an Ordeal and an Adventure”
Goals 2016
Do stuff
Thanks for "race 101" Puke and congratulations on an impressive result! Clearly, it requires a very strong mind to continue on that long, and a sense of humor helps. Hope your shin splints resolve quickly. Ibuprofen is a blood thinner; so perhaps it actually contributed to the bruising.
This is all I have time for this morning. Hope everyone has a great day!
Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done.
Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.
Ibuprofen is a blood thinner; so perhaps it actually contributed to the bruising.
Good point, hadn't thought about that. I wasn't actually planning on using Ibuprofen but is was in a similar package to my paracetamol and I grabbed the wrong packet. I guess that is where having crew would help. Next year.
So Happy, my brain is still a bit mushy (fatigue? bouncing around in my head for 24 hours?) but can't be long to your marathon. Feeling good?
soon...2 days 10 hours XX minutes...but who's counting?! The forecast has changed in one week from sunny to showers to rain and back to partly cloudy to mostly sun....but who would check multiple times a day a week ahead?!
Right now I'm worrying I didn't run enough this week...will be three 5-milers after tonight's run and that's it until the race.
I have some tight muscles and usual stuff, but I think quality time with my foam roller and tennis ball will sort things out.
I'm looking forward to getting this show on the road! I've made multiple pace plans...and tossed them.
Settled on this: Start out with a 2-mile warmup 11-ish pace. Then speed up to something manageable for the first half. If I can speed up later in the race, I will. Part of the problem with my low iron status is I have been huffing and puffing at EZ paces! So I have no idea if I can sustain a faster pace....except I did it a few weeks ago with my "11 miles at goal pace" within a 14er... so maybe! If I can't, I won't. There will be other races when I am healthy and hopefully I will just be that much stronger for them after all the training effort I've put in. It has been a lot harder than last year and I couldn't do a bunch of the key workouts; so we'll see what race day brings.
My current affirmation to settle my nerves: "Smile! Imagine the situation turning out wonderfully for you!" as I see myself running smoothly down the home stretch.
PS: I saw this yesterday: " ...pace from within and celebrate every finish line. Every race is an opportunity to evolve your running performance." I like that!
Re-reading your RR, Puke ---
Noticing you had to drive TWO HOURS home after all that! OMFG! I'm dead certain I'd have been completely unable to do that either!
I laughed over the miso soup "just not with custard" No doubt you were craving something savory after all that custard!
Very wise of you to stop running when you saw your injury. Glad it is not a stress fracture, but I bet it could have been one if you kept pushing.
Congratulations again for completing the 24 hour race - simply awesome! The next one is a year from now, right? Plenty of time to train! Although I'm still halfway in the "training is over-rated" camp :-)
Re-reading your RR, Puke --- Noticing you had to drive TWO HOURS home after all that! OMFG! I'm dead certain I'd have been completely unable to do that either! I laughed over the miso soup "just not with custard" No doubt you were craving something savory after all that custard! Very wise of you to stop running when you saw your injury. Glad it is not a stress fracture, but I bet it could have been one if you kept pushing. Congratulations again for completing the 24 hour race - simply awesome! The next one is a year from now, right? Plenty of time to train! Although I'm still halfway in the "training is over-rated" camp :-)
I should point out that my wife picked me up, there was no way I could drive.....was struggling to hold a conversation. I knew I wouldn't be able to drive so had caught a bus the night before and stayed with friends. They dropped me off at the race in the morning. My wife and son popped in a saw me after about 8 hours then went visiting people. Had a few phone calls from them during the night which picked me up no end. They then came to the last hour to cheer me on. My wife also had the pleasure of supervising me in the shower afterwards, just in case i fell over and couldnt get up. Got close.
Agree, training is over-rated. As for you marathon in a couple of days...rest up. I usually don't do any runs in the last 5 or so days before the race.
Don't be afraid to go out a little faster than you want. You will feel like crap at 34 km but you know you can do the distance now so it is just a case of pushing through the desire to walk. And pain is normal. Read something before the 24 hour. There is a difference between pain and suffering. You can have pain but you dont have to suffer.
Good luck and go hard.
Well it's a huge relief to hear your wife did the driving on your trip home - I couldn't imagine driving after such an effort.
No runs at all in the 5 days prior? Okay then; I won't worry about only doing 3 runs. I usually do well with 2 full days off -for shorter races. I may discover I need more before a marathon. Last year, my plan called for a short run the day before - which I did then- and felt it was a mistake. My trail running buddy who seems to run a dozen marathons a year - she also takes a lot of days off right before. She's always telling me "Amy, you can't get injured on Rest!!"
Don't be afraid to go out a little faster than you want. You will feel like crap at 34 km but you know you can do the distance now so it is just a case of pushing through the desire to walk. And pain is normal. Read something before the 24 hour. There is a difference between pain and suffering. You can have pain but you dont have to suffer. Good luck and go hard.
First - thanks for all the hand-holding. It has meant a lot to me.
Second - Having run for 8 years after my back injury before finally getting it sorted out in physical therapy last year and continuing to enjoy my running wholeheartedly during that time, I have a lot of practice at running though pain and not letting it ruin my run - just not a lot of experience at trying to run FAST while in pain. Despite my recent (minor-but-not-to-me) health challenge, I am eager to see what I can do on Sunday and appreciate all the advice given above.
Well it's a huge relief to hear your wife did the driving on your trip home - I couldn't imagine driving after such an effort. No runs at all in the 5 days prior? Okay then; I won't worry about only doing 3 runs. I usually do well with 2 full days off -for shorter races. I may discover I need more before a marathon. Last year, my plan called for a short run the day before - which I did then- and felt it was a mistake. My trail running buddy who seems to run a dozen marathons a year - she also takes a lot of days off right before. She's always telling me "Amy, you can't get injured on Rest!!" First - thanks for all the hand-holding. It has meant a lot to me. Second - Having run for 8 years after my back injury before finally getting it sorted out in physical therapy last year and continuing to enjoy my running wholeheartedly during that time, I have a lot of practice at running though pain and not letting it ruin my run - just not a lot of experience at trying to run FAST while in pain. Despite my recent (minor-but-not-to-me) health challenge, I am eager to see what I can do on Sunday and appreciate all the advice given above.
Good point, I think you are more qualified to run through pain than I am. :-)
Yikes! I hope I didn't sound snippy! Sorry! I didn't mean it that way at all.
It can be so hard to get the correct tone in writing.
Yikes! I hope I didn't sound snippy! Sorry! I didn't mean it that way at all. It can be so hard to get the correct tone in writing.
Nah, didn't read it as snippy. Mind you, DW says i can't understand what she is saying either. :-) Must be a guy thing.
Race tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing how you get on.
If you are hanging about the house on Sunday, here are a couple of links that hopefully will work. One is for live finish line coverage hosted by Chek TV. I hope to finish between 1:15 and 1:45 pm So tune in then!
The link will be available for a month afterwards. It of course shows the finish time; so after the race you could advance the video to my time to see me. http://www.cheknews.ca/goodlife-fitness-victoria-marathon-2014/ The other is for live athlete tracking. So if I die on the course, it won't work! I guess you can monitor my progress from start at 8:45 am to the finish. My bib number if you need it is 799. http://track.rtrt.me/e/RDT-VICMARATHON-2014 Neither of the links work now, but tune in on Sunday! ...the waiting is killing me!
(Disregard the gobbledygook below. I copied this from an email I sent to a friend and that showed up in this box and I can't make it go away.)
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Hmm, trying to figure out when Happy starts, I think, with my fuddled brain that it should be about 2:45am NZ time. May still be asleep. Should be able to check how you are going once I wake up though. Good luck.
Just been looking at my training log. Appears I have the same problem as PerfesserR. Today's 11 km run hardly even shows up
I love live tracking. Happy through 10 km in 1:05.
Halfway in 2:16. Happy has picked up the pace a bit.
Was waiting patiently for a 30 km split time and nothing came through. Was a bit worried until I noticed that nobody had a 30 km time. Whew.
Tracking, tracking.... Waiting for Happy's final number.
I ran 2:33:01 HM this morning with a nice negative split (was a bit wobbly and sickly in the first 10k). I'm pleased that I salvaged the race. Planning in better fitness for 2015 .
A
Recalculating...