Beginners and Beyond

1

Redemption at Endless Summer - RR (Read 42 times)

wcrunner2


Are we there, yet?

    Last year here was a disaster. I completely let myself be upset by the unexpected small hills, then refused to adapt to the heat because I wanted to push to reach a specific distance that was clearly out of reach under the conditions. The result was retiring early after only 3:40 and 16.6 miles. It was the low point in my training and racing during 2013.

     

    I thought I would really be up for returning to Endless Summer and even authored a Loop post about hoping for redemption. Then only a couple days after I posted that, I descended into a funk feeling totally burned out with no motivation to even go out for a short, easy run, much less a long run or race. For two days I did absolutely nothing except read, watch TV, and sit at my computer. A third day I conveniently used passing thunderstorms to take off another day. If I hadn't committed to meeting a friend at the race and posted that entry about hoping for redemption, I might have cancelled the trip entirely. Instead I forced myself out the door on Thursday to run for an hour or so, then finally started packing Friday morning for the overnight trip - after doing laundry I'd put off for days.

     

    The drive down gave me hope that the weekend might actually turn out well. No really heavy traffic and I didn't get lost trying to find the hotel. I checked in, then decided I needed to get in a short shake out jog after the two and a half hour drive. That's when I discovered I'd only brought one running shirt. After brief consideration I decided I wouldn't be out long enough to get really sweaty, so I could run in it and still wear the shirt the next day in the race. After a lap it would be a moot point anyway. That's oops number one. then I set my Garmin to pick up a signal and got a low battery message, then oops number two. I'd forgotten to pack the charger cord. Then oops number three. Not only was the battery low, the screen blanked out less than half a mile into my short run. The Garmin would be completely useless, so I would have to revert to my Timex Ironman watch. Looks like tomorrow's race will be a throw back day when I raced with only a watch and no pace or mileage information - a minor annoyance, but still an annoyance.

     

    My run took me around the shopping center across from the hotel, so I checked out what was available in terms of restaurants for dinner. It looked like my best options were Bertucci's, Panera's, or a Mexican restaurant. After the run I cleaned up and drove over to pick up my packet. I considered myself very fortunate to find a parking space only a block from the Annapolis Running Store. I chatted for a while with the people at pick up and some of the other runners coming in, then headed back to the hotel because the meter was running out of time. On the way back I saw a Qdoba Mexican restaurant. I'd recently read an article that listed them as one of the better fast food places, so I thought I'd try it. Definitely plenty of food for the money, but nothing special. Now relax, get to bed early, try to sleep, and wait for the 5:00 a.m. wake up call.

     

    Surprisingly I was up only once during the night and finally woke up only a half hour before my wake up call. I took my time getting ready and packing up for checkout. One of the advantages of this hotel is that breakfast starts early at 6:00 a.m. All too often traveling for races I miss the hotel breakfast and have to find a 24-hour place because breakfast isn't served until 7:00 a.m. or later and that's when many of the races start. It's also in a convenient location because I hop on the highway and it's a straight drive for 10-15 minutes to get to the race start in Quiet Waters State Park. The park nominally opens at 7:00 a.m. with a 7:30 a.m. race start. I arrived at 6:45 a.m. and got one of the last parking spaces at the pavilion. I met a friend from the RW Geezers group on FB who was volunteering at the race, then looked for my friend who intended to walk the race with a friend. We found each other. Coincidently they were parked next to me. We took a prerace picture or two, listened to last minute instructions, the singing of the national anthem, then wandered over to the start where we positioned ourselves at the back.

     

    With no Garmin to check pace I had to rely strictly on perceived effort. I felt comfortable on the first lap, but at times felt I may be running too fast. I walked a few of the bigger hills but otherwise felt fine running. On completely the first lap (4.15 miles) I was a couple minutes slower than last year, which was probably good because I started too fast last year. I took my time at the aid station getting something to eat and drink and refilling my water bottles. I still felt comfortable on the second lap and was careful to walk hills and keep the effort reserved. The second lap was about two minutes slower than the first which made sense with walking a few more hills. At this point the humidity and increasing heat were beginning to take a toll. I walked a little more on the third lap and was obviously slowing down. The heat and humidity were also taking a toll, so I chose to begin lap four walking. I ended up walking the entire lap to recuperate some even though that put me well over an hour for the lap and slightly under four hours total, about 15 minutes slower than last year, but this year I was ready to continue. By this time I was going through both 10.5 oz. water bottles every lap between drinking and pouring water on my head to cool down. That's in addition to the Gatorade at the aid stations. I was able to run most of the fifth lap and finish it under an hour, though by the time I started my sixth lap there was less than an hour to the end. The heat and sun were now major considerations. Another runner was also walking at about the same pace, so we walked together for about half the lap until reaching the aid station. He continued while I stopped to drink more Gatorade. Over the final minutes I did jog some, but did not push hard though there was a temptation to see if I could still finish the lap before time was up. When the ending horn sounded I think I was about a half mile from the finish. I planted my flag and continued to jog and walk to complete the lap. I estimate a final race distance of about 24.4 miles, almost 8 miles farther than last year. Even more important was that I was able to manage the heat and humidity well enough to complete the entire 6 hours - plus getting back to the finish.

     

    I never did catch up to and lap my friend who was walking, so she must have kept a very good pace. We posed for post-race photos, then she had to leave while I stayed for the food and awards presentation. I was very stiff, making sitting down and standing up again awkward. I was a little concerned about having to make the drive home, but I was moving better by the time everything was over. After getting home I posted a few summations of the race for running friends, but waited until the next morning to compose this report. It gave me more time to reflect on it. Overall it was a success though the final distance leaves me wanting a little more. If I can't cover 25 miles in 6 hours, it's going to be rather difficult (impossible?) to cover 50 miles in 12 hours. I'm currently ambivalent about trying to find a race in August for a final tune up before North Coast 24 in September. If I do it would be as a long supported run, not a race. I'm still hoping that I can set or PA resident single age records for 100K and 24-hours at North Coast 24. It will be my last opportunity before my birthday.

     2024 Races:

          03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

          05/11 - D3 50K
          05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

          06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

     

     

         

    Half Crazy K 2.0


      I would guess better weather would help your results. I'm in the Baltimore area. I can't imagine running for 6 hours in July, especially with little of no shade.

      Anonymous Guest


        Congratulations! The humidity really took its toll yesterday. I usually don't go through much water but I was refilling my 20 oz handheld every loop, and towards the end I was filling it at that middle station as well. I didn't realize you were running again - I thought that might be you I passed at one point but at the time I was running with a fast friend (his plan was too go out too fast and see how far he could get, then just run/walk the rest). He lapped me about 2.5 hours in and we ran a couple miles to the big aid station together. We were just chatting so I didn't notice until after we passed that it was you, I think - light blue short sleeve shirt? I was also breathing pretty heavy at that point because his post-blowup easy pace was still faster than I should have been running 15 miles in! Oops.

         

        I ended up running about 2 miles less than last year and was very happy with that. I had pretty much given up after my seventh lap. I had 54 minutes to go, and went ahead and picked up my flag because I knew I'd be mostly walking. Then that girl that spoke before the race about her 12 races thing to raise money for the Semper Fi Fund and being told she couldn't run again was right behind me and called out and asked if I wanted company. She gave me a hard time about grabbing my flag early, so we ran/walked together and really pushed each other. Since she hadn't grabbed her flag, I ran more than I would have otherwise because I didn't want her to not get credit if we didn't make it back around. It was great, and we got back around with 8 minutes to go.

         

        I remember seeing you on the course last year, and then seeing you sitting at the aid station and worrying about you. This year sounds like a much more successful race!

        Coaching testimonial: "Not saying my workout was hard but KAREN IS EVIL."

         

        Upcoming races: Hennepin Hundred - October 2024

        Check out my website and youtube channel

        wcrunner2


        Are we there, yet?

          Anonymous Guest - yes, that was me in the light blue shirt and hat. I thought you might be there again but didn't have any way to identify you. I haven't seen you posting much, so I wasn't even sure if you still were on RA or RW.

           2024 Races:

                03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                05/11 - D3 50K
                05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

           

           

               


          SheCan

            I would guess better weather would help your results. I'm in the Baltimore area. I can't imagine running for 6 hours in July, especially with little of no shade.

             

            Exactly, that is no easy feat for anyone.  I'm glad you revisited this race, and proved you could push further.  Congratulations for completing the 6 hour race.

             

            Thank you, also, for your honesty about the doubts, and struggles you've encountered leading up to and throughout the race.  The challenges you've set for yourself are not always easy, and as an older runner, I appreciate your perspective of what it's like to face these races year after year.

            Cherie

            "We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. "  ---- Shasta Nelson

            wcrunner2


            Are we there, yet?

               

              Exactly, that is no easy feat for anyone.  I'm glad you revisited this race, and proved you could push further.  Congratulations for completing the 6 hour race.

               

              Thank you, also, for your honesty about the doubts, and struggles you've encountered leading up to and throughout the race.  The challenges you've set for yourself are not always easy, and as an older runner, I appreciate your perspective of what it's like to face these races year after year.

              I feel it was the best I could do under the conditions, though not what I think I can do in cooler weather. I also don't want to paint a rosy picture for less experienced runners or whitewash what a race can be like. I don't want to scare them away from trying something like this when they're ready, but neither do I want to see them blind-sided. Doubts about racing are par for the course. Whether they admit it or not that's true for almost every runner. How we deal with doubts so that we step to the starting line confident that we can face whatever the race throws at us is an important part of training and successful racing.

               2024 Races:

                    03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                    05/11 - D3 50K
                    05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                    06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

               

               

                   

              Zelanie


                It sounds like you did a really good job pacing yourself this year and finished in good shape- both good signs!  Glad to see you finding some racing success.

                 

                We have a Qdoba in our town, and while I don't love them, both their rice and their chips are pretty good.  Everything else is just average, IMO.

                LRB


                  Crazy man, crazy...or is it you are crazy man, crazy?  lol

                   

                  Nice job on coming back this year!  I remember that report from last summer, ugh!  Running in heat and humidity for 6 hours will break you mentally, it takes a different breed to withstand all of that.  I commend all ultra runners for that fact alone!

                   

                  It occurred to me while reading your report that I would be eating like a mofo after each loop.  Has the thought crossed your mind that you are not consuming enough calories to give your systems a fighting chance to keep your butt out there for 12 hours?

                   

                  I know when I do 6 mile loops around my car at the park, I literally pig the hell out after each one.

                   

                  The Hansons have a section in their book about calorie expenditure and replacement which includes a formula for determining what you burn and thus, what one needs to replace during an event.

                   

                  It may or may not be an issue for you but if you are burning 6000 calories for a 12 hour event, it might be prudent on your part to just run the numbers so to speak.

                   

                  Nice work G!

                  Docket_Rocket


                    Great job, George!

                    Damaris

                     

                    As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                    Fundraising Page

                    Little Blue


                      Thanks for posting this RR.  I have a vague tickle in my brain that I'd like to try a 6-hour, but I haven't pursued it.  Most of the reports I see are on very small loops, and I think I'd go bat-shit crazy doing that.  Maybe I'll look for something like this one.

                       

                      Great job working the kinks out and finishing strong.

                      wcrunner2


                      Are we there, yet?

                        I have a vague tickle in my brain that I'd like to try a 6-hour, but I haven't pursued it.  Most of the reports I see are on very small loops, and I think I'd go bat-shit crazy doing that.  Maybe I'll look for something like this one.

                         

                        You may be pleasantly surprised at how much fun these can be and not boring at all, even on a small loop. But then remember my Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 24-Hour Race was on a 400m track. With the field spreading out and people running at different paces, there always seems to be someone near you. It's not at all unusual to find yourself running or walking at the same pace as another runner at some time even if they are on a different lap. It's also very nice to know that the aid station is never that far away. And once you've run the loop, there aren't going to be any unpleasant surprises late in the race like a big hill. One thing that was really nice was that after the first couple stops at the aid station, the volunteers could anticipate what I wanted and were ready to take and refill my water bottles and get me a cup of my preferred beverage.

                         2024 Races:

                              03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                              05/11 - D3 50K
                              05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                              06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.