Heartland 50k-DNF @ 26 miles

Where to start…well found out that hills + 90 degrees and no shade + headwind coming back = no Bueno for me.

Friday May 4^th: Took the day off from work and slept in as I was still tired from the U2 concert on Wed.  It’s a 3 hour drive up to El Dorado, KS then another 22 miles to Cassoday where the race was being held.  Cassoday has a population of around 99 people so El Dorado was the closest hotel.  Stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.  Drove out to packet pickup and as with a lot of smaller races there was no pre-race pasta meal so I drove back to El Dorado and went to Pizza Hut for a personal pan.  Then I went back and laid out my clothes for the 4 am wake up.

Saturday May 5^th: Race started at 6am so got up at 4am, took a shower and slathered on the sunscreen.  The course is on a private cattle ranch and its gravel roads with no shade.  Forecast said 84 and sunny with a 53 degree starting temp.

The race started ¼ mile down from the Community Center where it finished so I walked up with some others at about 5:45 for the race briefing. After the confusion that was the Flint Hills I wanted to make sure I heard exactly what the course was like.  Luckily this one was well marked at the few areas where a person could get turned with flour markings on the road.  Wouldn’t have worked in the rain but with just sunshine worked great.

There were on the 50k out and back 2 manned aid stations and 2 unmanned with water and ice. The first unmanned was about 4 miles in and I picked up some ice to put in my bra.  At the manned AS I ate a few things and had them put ice in the non-bladder area of my Orange Mud pack.  It kept me and the water cool until the turn around AS at almost 16 miles.  At this point I was running (well what I call running) some and walking up hills, down hills, and still at around a 17 min pace.  IF I could keep this up I could finish under 10 hours.

At the turnaround the wheels started coming off. The volunteer filled my bladder way too full and no ice.  I should have checked and made sure so it’s my bad not his.  I ate some more and picked up a Jolly Rancher.  Started back and there’s the headwind at around 20 mph. Looking at the weather history temps were 84, with wind gusts to 24 mph.  No big deal unless you weigh 93 lbs…lol.  Made it back to the next AS and sat for a bit and ate a popsicle which was the best.  Here I should have had them put ice in my pack but I think the heat was screwing with my thought process.

I had to keep stopping on the uphills as my heart rate was skyrocketing and I felt awful. A couple of the 50 mile runners passed me and all asked if I was ok…I kept stumbling along and hoping to make it to the unmanned AS for ice.  I was about 26 miles in when the RD drove up and asked if I was okay and if I needed ice.  He then got out of his truck and looked at me and said I should probably call it a day.  He asked if I had stopped sweating which was weird cause I don’t sweat much to start with and I thought maybe the wind was drying it but I realized for the first time all day my nose wasn’t running either.  I have horrible allergies and my nose had been running all day.

Turns out I had a mild case of heat exhaustion. Not sure what I could have done differently.  I was not dehydrated as I peed just fine once we got back and it was a good color.  I had been taking Scaps and drinking to thirst.  I think the heat after weeks of 40 or colder temps didn’t help and with my thyroid condition I don’t always tolerate heat well.  Also doing another hilly 50k two weeks from the last probably won’t work for me.

So after the RD dropped me off at the finish where I was parked I went in and sat for a bit. I ate a few pieces of fruit until I felt somewhat normal and then drove back to my hotel.  I took a hot shower…couldn’t seem to get warm and then sat down on the bed.  Woke up a couple hours later and went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant.  Weird thing was all the food tasted odd and even today food still tastes a bit odd.

Sunday May 6^th: At breakfast at the hotel…free is always good, filled up the car and drove home.  I am somewhat sore in the glute area but overall not too bad.

Things I learned. ICE in the bladder and in the pocket area is a blessing on hot days.  Early heat with no acclimation not a good idea for me.  Still a 26 mile supported training run is always good.  I have to work for a living so can’t afford to take lots of time off and really don’t need a hospital bill. I’ve lived to fight another day.  Next race is June 23^rd but it’s a rail trail with shade.  They learned from the race a few years ago to have tons of ice.

Good things: No back pain during the race.  No chafing.  No blisters.  I used my Dirty Girl gaitors but found that they didn't keep the grit out from the sides of my shoes where all the drainage occurs.

Hat yes...a white one with air vents.  I had one of those Frogg Togg cooling thingees for around my neck and that helped as did the ice down the girls but my biggest mistake was not getting ice in the hydration vest at either AS on my return trip.  The water acted as a heat reservoir I think and kept my core from cooling down.  Lesson learned.  If I do this one next year I'll keep that in mind.

I wear a Garmin 235 and could at times it felt as if my heart would explode climbing a hill on the return trip Looking at the history it appears it maxed out at 177.