Sulphur Springs 50 Miler
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 8:45 am
Ugh I typed my whole report and then the system froze me out and I lost it...so here I go again.
On Saturday I ran my first 50 miler. I got up at 3:00 am and made the drive to Ancaster for a 6:00 start. The morning was great! My friend Oliver and his two kids decided to come out and support me (I think he was worried about me lol) which was terrific.
I had all my supplies including a coleman water jug that I put ice in. It was great as I had cold water for the whole race to make my Nuun. I don't use salt caps so the Nuun was instead (electrolytes without the sugar...awesome stuff). I used that the whole race (one or two bottles a loop), ate 1/2 a PB&J sandwich after each loop, cliff bloks (1 packge per loop) and ate cookies (coconut caramel). I didn't take much from aid stations except a date square at the last station before the finish.
Things were going great. I finished the first loop in 2:21:44 and the 2nd in 2:21:09 (how's that for pacing). After the 2nd loop my quads were a bit sore but not bad. During the 3rd loop I was chatting with a man doing the 100 miler and I mentioned this. He was quick to tell me it was because I was going numb lol. About 3K out from the end of the 3rd loop (not sure exactly) disaster struck. I was on the back and there were people going out. I have a hard time watching my footing and people and typically will stop and pull over until they pass. This time I was watching them and still going and tripped on a root and took flight. I knew it would be bad. I was protecting my head/teeth and new prescription glasses which I did, but crashed hard. Wripped a whole in my new CW-X compression tights that I just bought in Boston (and broke the watch on my right arm). I almost immediately had a large goose egg on my left arm amongs the scrapes, cuts and dirt. My left leg had a big scrape on it and was hurting a bit. A few people came to my aid but I wanted to continue. Took a small break and then continued. Managed to finish the 3rd loop in 2:31:19 even with the fall.
At that time, we thought it best if Oliver did the last loop with me just in case (50 milers allowed pacers in last lap). It was a great idea. I changed my clothes (in the tent, modesty be gone), replenished my supplies and shook out the cobwebs and went back out to finish the last loop.
It didn't start out too bad but shortly the downhills were really hurting my left leg where the scrape was. It hurt like heck to go down the hills. I started compensating and that made other things hurt. Surprisingly the arm didn't hurt to bad and by the end of the 4th loop the swelling had gone down a bit. I think the stress of the fall shook me up as I started having gastro-intestinal problems as well. Three very lengthy port-o-potty stops and things just weren't feeling good. I did a lot of walking this loop and was really wanting to be done.
I crossed the finish line in tears at 10:46:12. I wasn't feeling good at all...everything hurt. Also, I won't lie, it was hard to watch all those yellow bibs passing me towards the end. I don't think It would have mattered as much had I not had such a great first 2 3/4 loops! I'm still happy with the overall result and even more happy that I finished. I think had I had that fall in the 2nd loop, and done the 3rd I wouldn't have been able to do the 4th.
I saw a lot of Runningmaniacs as well. Chris and Christa Baker (congrats to Chris on his frist 100 miler). Christa was so supportive the many times I saw her on course, before and after. I saw Ron on course as well a couple of times as well as Chris McPeake. But best of all was seeing Ken at the end of my second loop standing on the hill as I came up. I got a super big hug and lots of support...thanks Ken!
Congrats to Sylvie's coach Laura who won overall 100 and broke her own course record by over an hour...Under 18 hours to run 100 miles...crazy!
Today things are pretty sore mostly where I'm injured. My leg is bruising now almost the whole of my left thigh. My arm is bruised and sore and scraped up pretty bad. My quads are better than yesterday but getting off seats (and other things you sit on) a challenge.
It's a beautiful course and great volunteers. Especially the ones that cleaned up my wounds after the race (as the paramedics left before I finished the 4th loop). I'll definitely be back
Couldn't make my photos smaller
On Saturday I ran my first 50 miler. I got up at 3:00 am and made the drive to Ancaster for a 6:00 start. The morning was great! My friend Oliver and his two kids decided to come out and support me (I think he was worried about me lol) which was terrific.
I had all my supplies including a coleman water jug that I put ice in. It was great as I had cold water for the whole race to make my Nuun. I don't use salt caps so the Nuun was instead (electrolytes without the sugar...awesome stuff). I used that the whole race (one or two bottles a loop), ate 1/2 a PB&J sandwich after each loop, cliff bloks (1 packge per loop) and ate cookies (coconut caramel). I didn't take much from aid stations except a date square at the last station before the finish.
Things were going great. I finished the first loop in 2:21:44 and the 2nd in 2:21:09 (how's that for pacing). After the 2nd loop my quads were a bit sore but not bad. During the 3rd loop I was chatting with a man doing the 100 miler and I mentioned this. He was quick to tell me it was because I was going numb lol. About 3K out from the end of the 3rd loop (not sure exactly) disaster struck. I was on the back and there were people going out. I have a hard time watching my footing and people and typically will stop and pull over until they pass. This time I was watching them and still going and tripped on a root and took flight. I knew it would be bad. I was protecting my head/teeth and new prescription glasses which I did, but crashed hard. Wripped a whole in my new CW-X compression tights that I just bought in Boston (and broke the watch on my right arm). I almost immediately had a large goose egg on my left arm amongs the scrapes, cuts and dirt. My left leg had a big scrape on it and was hurting a bit. A few people came to my aid but I wanted to continue. Took a small break and then continued. Managed to finish the 3rd loop in 2:31:19 even with the fall.
At that time, we thought it best if Oliver did the last loop with me just in case (50 milers allowed pacers in last lap). It was a great idea. I changed my clothes (in the tent, modesty be gone), replenished my supplies and shook out the cobwebs and went back out to finish the last loop.
It didn't start out too bad but shortly the downhills were really hurting my left leg where the scrape was. It hurt like heck to go down the hills. I started compensating and that made other things hurt. Surprisingly the arm didn't hurt to bad and by the end of the 4th loop the swelling had gone down a bit. I think the stress of the fall shook me up as I started having gastro-intestinal problems as well. Three very lengthy port-o-potty stops and things just weren't feeling good. I did a lot of walking this loop and was really wanting to be done.
I crossed the finish line in tears at 10:46:12. I wasn't feeling good at all...everything hurt. Also, I won't lie, it was hard to watch all those yellow bibs passing me towards the end. I don't think It would have mattered as much had I not had such a great first 2 3/4 loops! I'm still happy with the overall result and even more happy that I finished. I think had I had that fall in the 2nd loop, and done the 3rd I wouldn't have been able to do the 4th.
I saw a lot of Runningmaniacs as well. Chris and Christa Baker (congrats to Chris on his frist 100 miler). Christa was so supportive the many times I saw her on course, before and after. I saw Ron on course as well a couple of times as well as Chris McPeake. But best of all was seeing Ken at the end of my second loop standing on the hill as I came up. I got a super big hug and lots of support...thanks Ken!
Congrats to Sylvie's coach Laura who won overall 100 and broke her own course record by over an hour...Under 18 hours to run 100 miles...crazy!
Today things are pretty sore mostly where I'm injured. My leg is bruising now almost the whole of my left thigh. My arm is bruised and sore and scraped up pretty bad. My quads are better than yesterday but getting off seats (and other things you sit on) a challenge.
It's a beautiful course and great volunteers. Especially the ones that cleaned up my wounds after the race (as the paramedics left before I finished the 4th loop). I'll definitely be back
Couldn't make my photos smaller
