Run Amok 50 mile race recap

Okay grab a cold one, get comfortable, and get ready for lots of pictures.  I instructed my cousin and mom to take as many pics and videos as possible, as I was worried about using my phone too much since it is SO sensitive to cold and dies quickly.  Here goes the recap starting with packet pick up.

So remember we checked into our dog friendly hotel about 20 minutes away Friday afternoon.  Well, it was 9 miles but 20 minutes away from packet pick up due to having to drive on a very windy country highway (cue my vehicle motion sickness).  Packet pick up was very low key.  Basically I was handed my hoodie and my bib and we went to set up our crew tent area.  We noticed others were already setting up, so we figured we could as well.  Very jealous of the people with the cool tent lights.  Next year for sure!  There was a pasta dinner starting at 6 pm, but we were going to go eat just ourselves somewhere else.

Who can resist a good photo opp?

For my birthday mom had gotten me a purple pop up tent to use at the track at Andrew's races, so we made use of it and got it set up with our table, chairs, and cooler for the next day.  

crew site

After set up we headed into town to eat at Cracker Barrel and make a Walmart trip for sheets to go over our white comforters at the hotel.  Again, who has white pretty comforters on dog friendly beds???

Harrison Bay

The Awesomesauce group was having a pasta dinner and many people had rented cabins on site for the night.  It got way below freezing so I feel kind of bad for those who stayed on site.  Post dinner we headed back to the hotel to set out flat Michelle and then try and get some sleep.  

Flat michelle and not so flat stella

Usually I have no problems sleeping but a) we had no fan and the temp was controlled by a fancy thermostat so no way to make it override and run all night and b) my mom and my cousin are quite the accomplished snorers.  I think even with melatonin on board, I got 4 hours of sleep, but my watch said 2.  At least I had had several other nights of good sleep to compensate.

not good that i look this tired and the race hasn't started

We were up at 5:30 am to get showers and head out to the race site.  The race started at 8:00 am with many distances starting together and then many other distances starting later in the day, night, and next day.

RD Courtney giving us runners the low down

 The race director explained how we were to do laps, get our bibs marked for each lap, and the course in general.  The course started in the campground before dumping onto a technical section with hills and rocks and tree roots GALORE.  This section then had a brief road section before dumping into a clearing that was hilly grass covering rocks.  This lead to another road section and a giant hill up to the main trail which was a four and a half mile circle around the bay.  You could go either way upon entering the washing machine as they called it.  There were two aid stations, at the start finish where you got your bib marked and at around mile 1ish before you got to the lollipop or the washer.  I had to complete 7 laps plus a marked out and back for my 50 miles.

getting instructions with my cousin Elane

We headed out a little after 8 am to start our laps. We had been told that this was a record breaking number of entries and we could tell as we dropped onto the trail.  

Me starting at the back to be courteous

I got behind many, many walkers (this is a very walker friendly course which is awesome, just new to me) and had to wait until I could get to the road section to pass.  This meant a very long conga line and a very antsy Stella who wanted to pull me to my death by rock to the face.

part of the road section looking at the boats and fog lifting

 It seems that most people started counter clock wise on the lollipop/washer part of the course, but Stella and I chose clockwise and stayed that way till the end when we had to go right to find the turn around. 

the lollipop or washer section

 Lap 1 I was just annoyed.  Constantly having to get off of the trail to let people by, walking on my 1 minute walk breaks and having people pass and then passing them back on my 4 minute runs, as well as talking to runners who wouldn't talk back (ear buds in maybe?).  I have always been taught to say something to each runner that passes, even if it is just a hello, but many people were concentrating or in their own heads and didn't reply.  I did meet MANY very friendly runners throughout the day that gave Stella lots of love. 

flat non technical part of the trail that leads to the lollipop

Lap 2 was much better, less people, starting to see the same people so we could say hi.  Enjoyed the many funny signs and stuffed animals randomly placed on the course.  The course was such a nice mix of technical, hilly, flat and easy, road, and hard that it was refreshing and my body liked it till the end.  

boardwalk section

There were a few bridges and a short boardwalk section that apparently was paid for by race entries. Much of the proceeds from the race go directly back to the park for improvements which I think is awesome!

one of the many awesome signs that made me laugh all day and night

My main concern was with my ability to eat consistently, not have stomach issues, and NOT have teeth issues so I could chew in the later miles.  For this reason, I decided to be sparing on the Tailwind and to mainly fuel with Honey Stinger waffles.  ALSO, every time I came to the crew tent or the aid station, I wanted to eat something.  I broke my waffles in half so that every thirty minutes I could eat one of those and my favorite aid station foods included pretzels, BACON, and Halloween candy in the form of chocolate which I ate every time I passed whether I was hungry or not.   

the rocky section that went on for a while that reminded me of Clinton lake white trail

I had my jolly ranchers as well, but tried not to use them to spare my teeth, since they seem to go rogue when I have too much sugar in my mouth.  I am proud to say that up until my last out and back, my tummy behaved and I was able to keep something going every 30 minutes.  

heading out to the trail

Lap 3, 4, and 5 went well with my crew firing on all pistons.  Every time I came through the camp ground I would go get my bib marked and then head to the crew tent to eat, be lubed up, and change clothes if needed. I  had on heavy tights, a winter running shirt and my running jacket with gloves, my buff, my gaiters, and my pack.  I quickly shed my jacket and did a lap with just my heavier shirt, then switched that out for a lighter shirt next lap.  I never did change my tights, and I was fine that way.  I ended up pushing up my sleeves for a while in my lighter long sleeved shirt, but was other wise fine.  My crew quickly re filled my pack with waffles, helped me attack any hot spots that were coming up around my sports bra area, and fed me whatever I needed or sent me with food.  Nutella on tortillas is amazing and I glad we brought it with. I figured out real quickly that I needed to not eat the whole thing though after I downed one and then got a slight side stitch.  I was alternating laps with Tailwind versus regular water in my pack.  That way I wasn't carrying two bottles and making my pack too heavy.  Stella had her normal portable bowl of water in my pack, but after the first lap they had her one waiting at the aid station and mom had her one at the tent.  

tree roots!

I had two issues with the course and I mean issues that made things challenging, which also makes things fun.  First of all tree roots. I kicked SO many roots that I am pretty sure my right big toe is broken and or I will loose my big toe nail on that foot.  The other challenge was that the most technical part was the beginning/end.  I didn't really have a set in stone time goal as my main goal was to finish, but i had secretly thought a 12 hour was possible, especially when I was at 6 hours and some change at the half way point in my mileage.   

another great sign

Spoiler alert, that time goal did not happen, but I am still okay with that.  The VERY nice ranger staff at Harrison Bay had actually gone out on the course and blown the leaves off so you could see the trail/roots/rocks.  HOW nice is that?  

this made me sing Hukuna Matata every time I passed it

As it got dark, things changed for me mentally.  I started to feel a bit alone and scared out on the trail by myself. I was VERY glad Stella was with me, but it was still lonely. I decided to start listening to podcasts at that point to stay awake and going forward.  I had tried to use my phone sparingly to save battery and to keep it out of the cold.  At this point I needed it and we had portable batteries for charging if needed.  I started with one podcast and just couldn't get into it so changed to Another Mother Runner with Dave McGillary and was very inspired.  

We saw SO many deer

The runners were fewer and far between and harder to see who was who with our head lamps on.  At this point we were all power walking most of the course.  Most of the marathoners were finished, so it was just our 50 milers and 100 milers left.  I had two laps in the dark and they were tough.  I have SO much respect for 100 milers who run through the night and without pacers.  I also know that for now and for a while I do not want to do a 100 miler at all :)

I have to do what?

It wasn't long till I was getting done with my last lap and heading back out for the out and back.  OF course you have to do the most technical part of the course again, which mentally was challenging.  I had been power walking pretty fast on the last lap, but on this lap, my legs decided they were done with up and down motions.  I was fine on the flat, but any other time I was dying.  Stella was still steadily pulling and I am so glad I had her to steady me and help me.  Not going to lie, was pretty freaked out in my tired brain about missing the sign.  Apparently we had to go back out on the trail and look for a sign not stuck in the ground, but up in a tree to tell us where to turn around.  It was on the side of the trail I had not been starting with, so I had NOT seen it up until that point.  Lucky for me, one of the ladies I had been running with/near was coming back from her out and back and she told me where the sign was.  I was SO glad to see that sign and turn around and Stella knew we were heading back out and started pulling like a mad woman.  My legs were so done and she so wanted us to run, but I just couldn't.  We got lots of high fives and congrats as we headed back from 100 milers heading back out to keep going.  They are so brave and awesome.  

I managed to at least run into the finish (it was down hill so a little easier than normal).  I always think oh I am going to cry or whatever and I never do, I just finish and go on.  There were two runners ahead of me, 100 milers who made everyone get up and ring the cowbells and hoop and hollar for me.  They were so awesome but i didn't cry. I think I was too tired LOL!  Mom and Elane had already packed up our tent site and had the van running and warm for me.  We decided not to stick around in the cold but get me to a hot shower.  My body always starts it's weird temp regulation issues right after I get done, so I was shaking pretty badly and ready for a hot shower.  

The hotel shower was awesome, but I could NOT sleep post shower.  I was wide awake till at least 3 am and got lots of FB time. Your welcome for my sappy posts.  I also got water on my finisher's award and it made the colors bleed, but we think it gave it character.  I am really glad I found this little race.  The RD was amazing just as everyone had said and helped me with a blister that was on my foot. I have never had blisters and I have a giant one now from the tape BUT the one that was hurting quit so I call that a win.  She was very encouraging and welcoming of Stella and I appreciate that.  This race is SUPER low key.  There is NO chip timing.  They depend on you to be honest.  They have someone at the start finish to mark your bib but if they aren't there you can do it yourself.  There are NO time limits.  You finish when you finish.  Many of the 100 milers walk the entire thing.  I think that is awesome!!!!  Even tonight as I type this people are still out on the course running.  Plus they had a pasta feed for packet pick up, thanksgiving dinner Saturday night that my crew got to eat at, and they had breakfast both days.  They really are AWESOMESAUCE!

a very tired but smiling Stella

Stella was fine the entire race and maybe only did the hoppy skippy action one or two times.  I will watch her to make sure she isn't too sore, but honestly I think she handled this course way better than I did.  She got bacon at the main aid station and some of the noodles and chicken from the chicken noodle soup my mom made for me for the broth.  I also shared small bites of my nutella tortillas, waffles, and any other things I snacked on.  Pretty sure bacon was her favorite, especially the most fatty pieces.

I posted this on FB and no need to retype it.  I am going to close here because I could keep going on and on and I will have a what worked and what didn't work post because this won't be my last 50 for sure!  Run Amok 50 miler, till next year!