Masters Running

1

TIMTAM 50k (Read 170 times)

TomD


    First I was running this one for Donna. It was her favorite run, where she ran one of the aid station for the pass three years. My goals were to beat last years time of 6:48, which I felt that I should not have much of a problem. I hope to run between 6:15 and 6:30 with an outside chance of beating my course PR of 6:06 from 2006. Before 2006 they had a different course. This course is a 5.25 mile loop. So you run it 6 times for a total of 31.50 miles. My goal is not go out to fast and stay at a steady pace for 3 or4 laps. Then push myself as much as possible the final two laps. Hopefully they would not be to slow. My game plan was to run between 50 and 55 minutes the first 3 laps and then below one hour on the fourth lap. I just wanted to do my best the final two laps and hopefully not to so too much over 1:15. It is just difficult to say with so little training the pass couple of months. I have been getting faster. The first 3/4 of a mile I run slowly with a friend. He stops for a walk break. I go on. I try to stay steady near a 10 minute pace. I finish the first loop with a 51:49. Pretty good and I feel great. The second loop I stay very steady. I run it at 51:55 for a 1:43:44. I had thought it may of been a little faster, but actually 6 seconds slower, so I am pleased. The third loop I run part of it with a young gal running her first marathon (it is 5 loops). She only lives 6 blocks from the start/finish. Then the latter part of this lap I run with a guy running his first marathon at age 50. They both take off on me as I cut back a little each time. This lap I felt may be a bit slower, but it was not much slower. I ran it in 52:38 for a total of 2:36:22. Now the first test can I keep the fourth one under an hour. This may be difficult. The fourth loop is getting to me some. I feel a little soreness off and on, but not real bad. It was enough to slow me down some, but not as much as I thought. This loop I finished in 55:08 for a total of 3:31:30. At end of this lap I starting to feel some real soreness in my legs. I just need to keep it steady. Now in the fifth lap I am hoping to keep it under 1:15, which may be more than I can do. About half of a mile into this loop I feel an aching pain in my left buttock. Every time I come down it hurts quite a bit. After another half of a mile or so it goes away and does not bother me again. My time for this lap is 1:03:22 for a total time of 4:34:52. I was really surprise. Now I am feeling that not only bettering 6:06 is possible so is breaking 6:00. It is time for my sixth loop. My body wants to slow down and do some wallking, since I am so far ahead of my projection anyway. I want to do the best I can for Donna. I feel her around me as she is watching me and maybe even guiding me. I keep running. I may even break 5:45 if I just keep running. I lap several of my friends two times and some three times. They all know my goal and loved Donna too. They all tell me how good I look. The sixth loop is very tough to keep going, but somehow I am able too. I even finish the final two miles pretty strong. Many runners are cheering me at the end. I finish this loop in 1:02:41 for a 5:37:33. It wasgood enough for a 4th place finish overall. The winning time was 5:01. Fortunant One came over after he finish the marathon and asked me about my time. He told me that is about the time he ran the 50k last year. I let him know that it will probably not happen to me again. I had inspiration for this one from my memory of Donna. I bought 18 pounds of bananas and 16 pounds of grapes for Donna's old aid station. Doug the RD put up a sign at this aid station that read "Donna's Aid Station." It was real touching. She would of loved it. She sure was loved by many more runners than just myself. The runners took about 25+ of Donna's stuffed animals. Next year I will bring her and her mothers ballroom dancing thorphies. There are also a couple of beauty thorphies. One of them is nearly 6 foot tall. It would be 40+ thorphies. Donna was quite a ballroom dancer. Next is the Wyoming Marathon on May 24th. It is a very difficult one. I ran it twice before. It is on the top 10 as most difficult marathon in the United States. TomD
      Tom, I have no doubt that Donna was with you in a great race. You sure ran strong and ahead of schedule as you bested all your goals. Congrats on a big PR. TomS
        Huge PR Tom....Congrats!
        Quit being so damn serious! When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. "Ya just gotta let it go." OM
        coastwalker


          Hi Tom, What an outstanding race - almost a half hour PR!! That is HUGE! I have no doubt that Donna's hand was on the small of your back, pushing you onward to an amazingly steady and fast race. But don't sell yourself short: You had the legs on the ground, and overcame some significant pain to run a most impressive race. You did a heck of a job, Tom! Jay

          Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

            Way to go Tom and excellent PR! I wanted to jump ahead to read the final time, but stuck with you on each lap. Exciting! Donna was clearly there and I am looking forward to your next report. Somehow I think more PRs are right there. Your friends were clearly thrilled to see you.
            Tramps


              Wow! Nearly a 30-minute course PR? That's amazing. Great job, Tom; you were inspired. That "Donna's Aid Station" sign was such a sweet gesture, too.

              Be safe. Be kind.

                Congrats on the huge TIMTAM PR! I'm happy you felt Donna's presence there and were surrounded by so many that knew and loved her. Skip


                Marathon Maniac #957

                  Congratulations on your PR! What a wonderful tribute to Donna! I do believe that she was there with you to share in it.

                  Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."

                  wildchild


                  Carolyn

                    Tom, congrats to you and your angel Donna for a fine race and a big PR!

                    I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.

                      Nice report, Tom. As you saw, I was running with a pretty fast woman (first woman?). She knows you a little from other marathons/ultras--she's working on 50 states. We started later than you (you probably had a little over one loop on us when we started) since you did the early start. We were never able to catch you, maybe because our strategy was to run/walk pretty even loops of 52-56 min.). I quit at marathon distance (4:40:16) and she went on to finish the 50K (with her DH, who ran as a bandit for her last two loops). My goal was to finish no faster than 4:30, as this was just a catered long run, so mission accomplished. I picked up a stuffed animal; thanks for contributing those. I also got a door prize (picture mounted on a cabinet door). That RD looked pretty dapper, didn't he? Thanks for the fear-instilling comments on the Bighorn 50 miler. I won't be the spring chicken you were when you ran your first 50 there in 1997. I'm taking my training seriously, though, so I'm optimistic. Good luck in WY; I'm predicting a great time.