Sole Challenge 48 Hour Race

After 5 years of The Sole Challenge 24hr Race, the RD put out a questionnaire asking if anyone was interested in doing a 48hr version. He got 10 yes responses, so he started the ball rolling to add an extra day to the race.  My wife, Jess, and I were excited to push ourselves a bit further and see what 48 hours would do to us.

Training -  My plan on ramping up from 24hr training to 48hr involved doing more long runs on tired legs. I would do a run Saturday am, Saturday pm and then Sunday am.  I did this 3 times and Jess did it 2 times.  Looking back, I think it helped me in the later hours.  We also added a lot of fast walking, and I was doing 1-2 walks per week at a pace faster than 4mph.  This might have been the best training, as I passed several walkers out there at time when I was walking, and if I shared a lap with someone, their walking pace felt slow, so I felt like I was recovering while I walked with them.

Pre-Race – Taper was going well, but I had some lingering right pain in the iliopsoas area.  I had this problem may years ago and was able to run through it, so I was hopeful this wouldn’t set me back or cause any big problems.  Two nights before the race, I had a great sleep, and was hoping for one more good night sleep, but it didn’t happen. The night before the race, I was up most of the night worrying about some issues one of our kids is going through. You never stop being a parent and worrying about your kids. My worrying just usually happens at night while my wife worried more during the day.

Race day, and we were up before the 5:20am alarm to drive the 20 miles to the race and set up “camp”.  We go our tent and an awning up and set up our supply tables and chairs.  Other racers were filing in and the number of entries was at 14 after 2 people dropped down to the 24-hour due to travel problems. We used clear plastic containers for supplies and clothes, and these worked great, being able to see where everything was before opening up the container.

Goals – 124 miles (200K) and be able to run in the 47^th hour of the race.

Course – 1.547 certified asphalt loop, consisting of two circular sections connected by a 300m straightaway.  The Course is usually run counterclockwise, but after 2 hours we were allowed to run the upper circle any direction we wanted. Elevation for one loop is 98’, so not an easy course by Timed Event standards.  When the 24 hour races started, we had to run the course in the tradition direction for another 6 hours so as not to confuse the marathon runners.

Rain in the forecast.  The 48'ers

Race –  After Jess sang the National Anthem, we were off at 8:00am. The plan was to start very easy and take periodic rest breaks to pace myself for 48 hours. I would let my body tell me when to catch a nap.  The first 2 laps went well, but probably too fast.  I ran with Peter Morgan, who had won the 24 hour the two times he ran it,  and was doing his first 48hr as well.  We both slowed down on lap 3 and then on lap 4,  I let him go ahead so I could run my pace.  Now my first big problem started. The park workers started to cut the grass, and I have terrible grass allergies.  After an hour, my eyes were all itchy and watering, and I got to the point where I walked/ran a few laps with a damp paper towel on one eye at a time (had sunglasses hold it in place).  After a couple of hours of this, they stopped for lunch and then luckily, we had some light rain.  The rain helped, and Jess and I decided to use it as or first break.

I felt some relief after the break and decided that I would stop every 4 laps (10K) for a rest.  That was the plan, but we started to get a lot of visitors who had come to see us.  First my 80yo mother was there with bran muffins (I never told her we didn’t eat them. Bran muffins in an Ultra = Disaster).  So that was a stop.  Then we had friends stop by with milkshakes (I sipped a bit of one).  Later in the afternoon, one of my running buddies was there and brought a meatball sub (I ate ½ and it was delicious) and ran a lap with me.  Then towards the evening DD#2 stopped by with her boyfriend.  Somewhere in there, my associate stopped by and decided he needed to ask me a question about a patient (WTF, I’m surprised he didn’t bring along the MRI so I could look at it while I was running).  Anyway, all that company was probably good since it forced us into rest breaks, but it did upset my rest after 10K plan.

Jess and I would run/walk together a lot when we were near each other, but I had about 5 laps on her as we went overnight.  I wanted to stop at 62 miles and take my first nap, and this was about Midnight.  This proved to be a mistake.  I was tired, but not exhausted, so as I tried to fall asleep, it wasn’t happening. My legs were jumpy and I tossed and turned until finally managing about 45 minutes of sleep out of the 2 hours we were in the tent.  I got right out of the tent and pushed on since it was a bit cold. Only a few people were out at 3:00am and this is the time I love. I was running again after my brief nap and enjoying the solitude of night running. I only used my light for 2 sections that have turns and to earn other runners I was coming up. The birds stared chirping around 4:30 and more people were out on the loop.

The start of the 24/12/6/Marathon was at 8:00am., and I had decided that I would stop and watch them start and get a short rest in.  The race went off with some big names there. Serge Arbona was doing the 24 hour but was injured (leg infection after having  poison ivy) with a huge looking right knee.  He didn’t want to be a no show and walked/ hobbled 9 laps. Keith Straw, Aka Tutu man, was there hoping to compete with Serge and as a training run for his 3rd  Badwater. Keith is a local legend and at 62, runs better than most of the 40 year old guys. The Marathon was a BQ qualifier, and 3 guys were turning 7 minute miles and this made the rest of us look like dinosaurs.

Jess and I around 27 hours

Around 11:00 am, a storm came through and was blowing sideways rain, so I took that as another sign to rest.  Then around 1:00 we got dumped on for over an hour and parts of the course had 2-3” or water on it.  Once again, I rested during the rain and slept a good 30 minutes or so.   When I woke up, I felt refreshed and ran several laps before going back to a run / walk strategy.  I hit 100 mile make somewhere before 32 hours and Jess was about 12.5 miles away, so we stayed together for her push to 100.  She was fading fast but determined to keep going so we had some slow laps here and at one point she was weaving around pretty good. I talked her into a short rest and then we made our push for her 100. After she hit it, we went to sleep for a bit, and I fell asleep faster this time.

The alarm went off, and I did not want to get out of the tent.  We forced ourselves from the warm sleeping bags and as I got out, Peter was walking by and said he was walking a lap or two.  Jess wasn’t ready yet, so Peter and I went off and we stayed together for several hours walking and running.  At some point my Garmin went out and, with my brain fog, I thought I couldn’t get my goal of 200 K.  We came through start finish are and the RD was up after a good nap and I told him I was walking because my goal was out of reach. He said I had plenty of time, and that my math was off because I had an extra hour that I wasn’t factoring.  That was like as switch, and I was off running again.

After a bit, there were three of the 48 hour people running, and all of the 24hr people were walking or sleeping.  Another runner, Ken, came up to me at the straightaway section and for some reason decide to tell me he had me marked and was gunning for me since I was in 3rd place and just a lap ahead of him.  Never tell me that, I was re-energized again and now running at a very "respective" pace. Other runners were clapping every time Peter and I came by and were shouting encouragement.  Ken was running as well, but he was losing dome distance each lap.

I was getting excited that I would hit my goal and then Peter said “200K doesn’t mean anything to non-runners, 126.2 sound better, like a Marathon +100 miles”.  I told him to fuck off but it was too late, I had a new goal, but could not walk at all if I wanted to get it.  With an hour to go, I caught Ken and was now 2 laps up and secure in 3rd place.  I told peter he could hit 170 if he pushed, and he added a gear that I don’t have and left Ken and I in the the dust.  My last full lap around we still had 11 minutes on the clock, and I needed .9 of a mile to make 126.2 so Ken and I got our Popsicle sticks (to place for partial laps) and kept running.  I made it 1.2 miles around in that 11 minutes and hit 126.5 miles.  Ken was exactly 2 laps behind me.  Jess was able to run off and on at the end and hit 109.6, crushing her goal of  104.8 miles (= 4 marathons).

Finished

Lessons learned – I should have followed a more regimented rest schedule early on. I should have listened to my body and slept one more time after the 100 mark and then for less time later that second night since I was stiff getting up the second night because after sleeping a bit too long. People who went all out on day 1 slowed or stopped on day 2, so pacing was a good idea for me.  48 hours is much harder than 24 hours due to accumulated drain on your body and mind.

Food - I used water and Tailwind off and on and had solid food when I needed more calories. I ate 1/2 a meatball sub, 2 pieces of pizza, an egg sandwich, some fig newtons, 1/4 of a chocolate milkshake, some Mt Dew and a Slimfast.  I also had a few gel blocks.

I almost drove out but the website said no pacing, I needed to get in a longish run, and with a closed course I wasn't sure I'd be allowed to run in the park. So I stalked you on the results site instead. It's encouraging to see that Jess made her goal too. I'll need a 48 hour race like that if I ever decide to go for 100 miles.

I almost drove out but the website said no pacing, I needed to get in a longish run, and with a closed course I wasn't sure I'd be allowed to run in the park. So I stalked you on the results site instead. It's encouraging to see that Jess made her goal too. I'll need a 48 hour race like that if I ever decide to go for 100 miles.

Would have loved to see you.  The course is open, and there were other runners out there and a few bikers.  Laurie Dymond stopped by and did a night run. She would have enjoyed seeing you, too. I had a friend run 20 miles on day #2, but I only ran a bit with him.

Awesome job.  Still scratching my head about your associate stopping by with a question.

 

 

How is your hip area feeling? Doesn't seem to have slowed you down any.

 

He's a bit socially awkward, and he stopped by with his family on their way to dinner. I think he didn't know what to say so asked a work question.  It was weird, and I did give him an answer.

Hip is sore, but less that it was before the race.

Nice write-up and congrats to you and Jess for reaching your goals!

Seems the sleeping bit at midnight that first night would have been tough. I get in such a daze in 100's but not tired, and in fact often have trouble sleeping the morning after. The body gets wired. Seems like the next day you were able to rest better. Must have been a bit surreal out there at times especially at night. Your food lists looks somewhat lacking. Certainly you ate more than that? I think I eat more than that during a 50 miler. LOL. Nice job! Will you do it again next year?

Nice write-up and congrats to you and Jess for reaching your goals!

 

Seems the sleeping bit at midnight that first night would have been tough. I get in such a daze in 100's but not tired, and in fact often have trouble sleeping the morning after. The body gets wired. Seems like the next day you were able to rest better. Must have been a bit surreal out there at times especially at night. Your food lists looks somewhat lacking. Certainly you ate more than that? I think I eat more than that during a 50 miler. LOL. Nice job! Will you do it again next year?

I would have just and rested for 20 minutes and been better off until my body was ready for sleep.  The second night, I was able to actually dream a bit, so I was in an deep sleep.

Yes, I had more food, including some PB&J sandwiches.  I was taking in about 200 cal per hour. Never had any nausea or stomach problems.

Congratulations, AT (and Jess)!

 

Wow, what an adventure and accomplishment. You make it sounds

so easy. Did you have an ongoing internal dialogue wrestling with

that persistent thought to just stop?

Yes, voices in my head.  After I hit 100 miles, I had some voices in my head. It helped that Jess needed to get to her 100 mile mark.  Those were the hardest miles because we weren't moving very fast, and I really wanted to stop for a rest. I had to play some mind games to keep moving.

The only other time was after waking up on morning #2. I really wanted to crawl back into bed.

Terrific job Mr and Mrs AT !!!!!  Congrats !!!!!

 

So how many laps did you do (I'm too lazy to divide)?  Also, any hallucinations?  Dancing hamburgers perhaps?

Thanks.

81 full laps for me and 70 full laps for Jess.  That's around 8000' of elevation for me and 7000" for Jess.

No hallucinations for me. Talked to 2 people who had some weird sightings.  There was this house that we pass and the side of it started to look like it was from "Shining Time Station".  Had 2 upper windows, an AC unit in the center and then 1 lower window. I did say "hello Mr. House a couple of times when I passed it.