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50-miler race report (surprise PR...by over an hour) (Read 424 times)

redrum


Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

    I dunno what's up but this site is giving me fits tonight.  I tried to reply a couple hours ago and it was not having it.  Finally able to post now but just wanted to say....

     

    UH-mazing!!!!!!!

     

     

     Randy

    RedSparkle


      Sorry I never responded to this earlier.  I appreciate all of the replies.

       

      I wanted to give an update on the recommendations I gave the RD.  He sent me a long response and addressed most of my criticisms; I agreed with some of the justifications and not other ones.  But ultimately it's his race that he's free to run as he sees fit.  However, after thinking about it a while longer, there were two things that didn't sit right with me, so after a few more emails back and forth, he finally decided to change them.

       

      #1 - In the future, there will be access to more water for ultrarunners.  This seemed like a no-brainer to me, so i was glas he finally saw it my way.  Honestly, unless you're Badwater and ar known for ridiculous conditions, I don't think you can get away with only offering water at 2 spots and say runners should just be self-sufficient.... if you're a brand new race that wants to appeal to more ultrarunners.

       

      And #2 - Everyone, including individuals were forced to choose a team name.  This team name is what was attached to the official results, not our actual names.  But in my opinion, even someone who walks a 5k (for example) should be recognized in the official results with their name next to their time.  I told him this and he changed my anme but left everyone else's the same.  In the next email, in an effort to get my point across (since being subtle didn't seem very effective), I requested that he change everyone's and asked him if he (as an elite runner) ever had to think twice that he would get credit for his races by something so simple as his real name next to his finish time.  An hour later, he changed everyone's.  Success. Wink

       

      I've talked to some other ultrarunners about this, though, and it's a common belief that if a RD wants to create a new ultra, they should have run a few ultras themselves or at least have volunteered at a few ultras.  Someone may think that if they run marathons that they inherently know all about ultra too, and if you're talking marathon to 50k, both on the same terrain, this could be true, but most of the time it's not that simple.  Someone who runs a 2Tight lippedx marathon does NOT automatically have a grasp on what it is like to run an ultra that takes 10 hours or longer.  I'll hope for the best for this race next year, and I appreciated the RD was open to suggestions, but I really don't care to run it again. Wink

       

       I would so love to do an ultra. They just aren't available where I live but I really want to

      do one someday. You make it look like so much fun!

       

      I wanted to point out that your PRs, from 5k to marathon, are within 2 minutes of mine. Smile  I hope you can find an ultra to do sometime.  If I cna do it, surely you can too Smile

      happylily


        Very impressive, Katrina. Congratulations! It must require incredible mind power to keep going for 10.5 hours. You simply are amazing!

        PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

        18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

        RedSparkle


          Lily, It's definitely mostly mental.  Physically, it's one foot in front of the other, continuously, at whatever speed, until the finish line is reached. Wink

          Just B.S.


             

             

            I wanted to point out that your PRs, from 5k to marathon, are within 2 minutes of mine. Smile  I hope you can find an ultra to do sometime.  If I cna do it, surely you can too Smile

             

            Thanks Katrina. I really would love to do one someday. Might have to try and find one for 2013 that doesn't

            interfer with a new marathon PR attempt and that I don't have to drive more than a day to get to.

             

            I did my 4:20 marathon PR in Sept on two peak weeks of 42 miles and didn't run that all out by any means.

            I was out shopping 2 hours after the race finished so I"m sure I could slow it down and run another 8k without

            a problem.

             

            I really like the idea of a 50k as an event/experience as opposed to a race, at least that is the way I would approch it.

            Congrats on the other RR's you posted tonight!

            wcrunner2


            Are we there, yet?

               

              I really like the idea of a 50k as an event/experience as opposed to a race, at least that is the way I would approch it.

              Congrats on the other RR's you posted tonight!

               

              You might want to consider what I'm doing for my first ultra - a timed race versus a specific distance. I'll debut at the North Coast 24 in September running the 12-hour option. There's no pressure other than what you put on yourself to run a specific distance and by definition once you start and have run a measurable distance you can't DNF.

               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.

               

               

                   

              fimmx


                Wow just wow! From your shadow race when you were deployed to this one here with all it's inherent uncertainties, it's amazing how much you've grown in your running life. WTG Red!

                Just B.S.


                  You might want to consider what I'm doing for my first ultra - a timed race versus a specific distance. I'll debut at the North Coast 24 in September running the 12-hour option. There's no pressure other than what you put on yourself to run a specific distance and by definition once you start and have run a measurable distance you can't DNF.

                  I really would love to attend something like that. However our running community like our general

                  population is very small and there is no appetite here for 50k+ races.Sad

                   

                  There was a 50k here in early June, the first one in our province in 12 years. One of local RD's thought

                  he would try it and see what the turnout was like. I was still building mileage back up from my Feb surgery

                  and wasn't ready. It only attracted about 10 runners and I'm not sure they will be holding it again.

                   

                  I approached some of the organizers (friends) and suggested a timed race.......everyone thought I was

                  crazy!LOL   I'm probably going to have to RD one myself if I want to run one.

                   

                  North Coast sounds fun but it's a 17 hour drive each way!

                  RedSparkle


                    Wow just wow! From your shadow race when you were deployed to this one here with all it's inherent uncertainties, it's amazing how much you've grown in your running life. WTG Red!

                     

                    Thanks!  It's crazy how quickly time flies!  My first ultra (a 50k) was nearly 4 years ago and now it's one week shy of 2 years since my deployed shadow race. Smile


                    Anomalous

                      Freakin' awesome! Congratulations!

                      Half Fanatic  #3091  ~   Marathon debut: 11/16/13 Anthem Richmond Marathon

                      "Run from what’s comfortable. Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious." - Rumi

                      RedSparkle


                        I really would love to attend something like that. However our running community like our general

                        population is very small and there is no appetite here for 50k+ races.Sad

                         

                        There was a 50k here in early June, the first one in our province in 12 years. One of local RD's thought

                        he would try it and see what the turnout was like. I was still building mileage back up from my Feb surgery

                        and wasn't ready. It only attracted about 10 runners and I'm not sure they will be holding it again.

                         

                        I approached some of the organizers (friends) and suggested a timed race.......everyone thought I was

                        crazy!LOL   I'm probably going to have to RD one myself if I want to run one.

                         

                        North Coast sounds fun but it's a 17 hour drive each way!

                         

                         

                        George beat me to it--I was going to recommend a fixed time race. They're awesome because they allow you to test your boundaries without having to commit to a certain distance in advance. Where do you live?
                        wcrunner2


                        Are we there, yet?

                          I really would love to attend something like that. However our running community like our general

                          population is very small and there is no appetite here for 50k+ races.Sad

                           

                          There was a 50k here in early June, the first one in our province in 12 years. One of local RD's thought

                          he would try it and see what the turnout was like. I was still building mileage back up from my Feb surgery

                          and wasn't ready. It only attracted about 10 runners and I'm not sure they will be holding it again.

                           

                          I approached some of the organizers (friends) and suggested a timed race.......everyone thought I was

                          crazy!LOL   I'm probably going to have to RD one myself if I want to run one.

                           

                          North Coast sounds fun but it's a 17 hour drive each way!

                          I don't know how tight your finances and time are for something like that, but I got a very good deal through Yahoo! Travel to fly into Akron, not Cleveland, rent a sub-compact, and a hotel room only a mile or two from the race.

                           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.

                           

                           

                               

                          Just B.S.


                             

                             

                            George beat me to it--I was going to recommend a fixed time race. They're awesome because they allow you to test your boundaries without having to commit to a certain distance in advance. Where do you live?

                            Eastern Canada, 1.5  hours north-east of the Maine border. It's iincredibly beautiful and I love living here

                            but travelling anywhere from here is a pain in the ass, to put it mildy and very expensive to fly.

                             

                            We travel several times per year for marathons and hubby, although a marathon runner himself is not

                            really on board with the ultra experience so I doubt he would be interested in spend the $$ to fly or 15-20

                            hours to drive to an ultra.

                             

                            I am flying to Disney in Feb for a "girls only" trip to run the Princess Half. When my friend asked I initially

                            said no and hubby is the one who convinced me to go with the girls and have fun. To give you an idea,

                            the 5 day trip to Disney will cost me around $2,000 and that is with driving 4 hours to Bangor ME to get

                            a cheaper flight.

                             

                            Finances for  travel aren't tight for us, we spent about $8,000 last year BUT I'm pretty sure hubby would

                            rather travel to a full than an ultra. Maybe I could find a combo where I can do an ultra and he can do

                            a marathon?

                             

                            or maybe I will have to do a "girls only" ultra trip!

                            RedSparkle


                              I'd check out www.calicoracing.com.  It's here in Las Vegas and there are multiple races with marathon and ultra options.  Plus, flying into Vegas tends to be a bit cheaper than flying into other places.

                              Here are some options, just as an example, for the coming year (not including some of hte thorter-than-marathon distances at each one:

                              12 Jan - Running from an Angel - 50-miler + marathon

                              20-21 Apr - Labor of Love - 100-miler + 50-mile + 50k + marathon

                              29 Jun - Running with an Angel - 50-miler + marathon

                              17-18 Aug - E.T. Full Moon Midnight - 51k + marathon

                               

                              Sometimes there are other races that pop up too, like this year there was a fixed time race in August (1 hour, 3 hour, 6 hour, and 12 hour).

                               

                              Just something to think about Smile

                                Katrina you're amazing, I honestly don't know how you do it, congratulations!

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