2013 Leona Divide 50 mile race in my words
She looks at the clock.
2:30 am.
The pain she's feeling- couldn't even begin to describe.
I can not seek appropriate words to portray her last 3 hours.
Between the bathroom and aimlessly wandering, hunched over as if normally positioned as so.
I see her, pouring yet another glass of water, she calls her dad.
I hear and see myself as if a third person. She can't do it, she says. Make the pain go away, she repeats.
72 hours before her very first ultra marathon- she doesn't think she can do it.
I look at this girl, curled on the bathroom floor in the fettle position, I am overwhelmed with sorrow for her pain.
She looks at her watch, 4:02 in the morning.
She falls asleep by the toilet, covered with her sweater, towel as a pillow, brita container and water glass by her feet.
She feels better.
She thinks- if she can survive food poisoning twice during her ultra training season, she can survive anything.
I stand at the starting line and think of all the obstacles it took to get here.
Sore muscles, aches and pains, missing those parties, dedicating endless hours to training, shin splints and ofcourse food poisoning TWICE.
I stand at the starting line, overwhelmed with- no not butterflies, but love and gratitude.
Five months ago, little did I know an Ultra was in my future.
No, but here I am.
Its 6:00 AM.
Race starts.
I feel strong, I feel light, I feel fast.
I stay consistent, don't go out too fast- I remind myself.
Aid station three, mile 16.2- I was feeling great.
Physically, absolutely no complaints.
Mentally, I was positive and preparing myself for the steep two mile incline.
Just a month and a half before this exact spot had brought me sheer pain, and nightmares everyday since then.
Nightmares- until today.
Thankfully I was hiking up this hill with a fellow Ultra marathon runner, we were not running but we were not walking. We were consistent and we were fast all while hydrating.
We kept a consistent conversation, why we were there, what races we have previously did, what line of work we were in and WHAM BAM THANK YOU MA'AM
we were at the fourth aid station.
That was it?
There was a nagging pain in the hip flexor that was not going away. It hurt.
But then again, nothing hurt more than having food poisoning.
I kept going.
The next aid station came and gone- my hip flexor hurt more, it hurt to walk and it hurt to run but then I kept going.
Mile 30.
Turn around point- time to head back to the finish line.
Mentally- I'm great, more positive than I have ever been during any practice run or race I've participated in.
Physically- I could barely walk.
My hip. OHHHH my hip.
I see Coach Arkady and he helps me ice.
I stick ice down my shorts- hold it on my hip and I get up and hike the three miles up the mountain.
I have to keep going.
Mile 37.
If I could possibly rip my hip off- I would.
I've never had hip pain- why start now.
I keep running. Attempt to run.
That's when I ran into Lulu. Trying to stay positive we both chat about the 106 degree heat.
I hadn't noticed.
I tell her about my hip pain- she gives me two advils and we part ways.
I jog, thinking it hurts less to run than to walk.
I contemplate my game plan- how will this steep downhill effect my hip and knee pain?
Wait, what pain?
I'm running, and when I say running- I mean I'm speeding down this mountain.
Hip and knee pain NO MORE.
Hallelujah Advil.
Mile 43 aid station- Boy I never thought I'd see you so quickly!
After a few potatoes, some dunks in the ice buckets and two more advils- I was off.
Hiked up the first two miles, sharing a gluten free vegan bread recipe with 50k participant Jackie and with five miles left- I sprinted.
I stopped mid way to assist an older man who was suffering from the heat. Emptied my pack of ice and cold water and helped him cool down. 15 minutes later- I was sprinting.
Sprinted ALL THE WAY BACK.
50 miles.
After 11 hours and 4 minutes I had completed my mission...
My first Ultra marathon.
I remember every second of that race.
And every second- especially of the last 10 miles, I thought- when can I sign up again?
A week has passed since this experience and I feel the same way.
I couldn't wait to do another endurance event (Completed a 50 mile bike race in Mexico 6 days after crossing that finish line).
Although I had hip pain, food poisoning so fresh in my memory- anything was possible.
Finishing Leona Divide a mere 4 minutes after Western States qualifications- I think I did fairly well.
But I want to do better, and I know I can.
With Team in Training I was able to endure something I never knew possible!
With my dedication and hard work I know I can do it again.
Soon.
Till next time,
Peace, love and happiness.
The Ginger Runner was able to capture the race on his own. I remember running alongside him quite a few times.
Great video!
2:30 am.
The pain she's feeling- couldn't even begin to describe.
I can not seek appropriate words to portray her last 3 hours.
Between the bathroom and aimlessly wandering, hunched over as if normally positioned as so.
I see her, pouring yet another glass of water, she calls her dad.
I hear and see myself as if a third person. She can't do it, she says. Make the pain go away, she repeats.
72 hours before her very first ultra marathon- she doesn't think she can do it.
I look at this girl, curled on the bathroom floor in the fettle position, I am overwhelmed with sorrow for her pain.
She looks at her watch, 4:02 in the morning.
She falls asleep by the toilet, covered with her sweater, towel as a pillow, brita container and water glass by her feet.
She feels better.
She thinks- if she can survive food poisoning twice during her ultra training season, she can survive anything.
I stand at the starting line and think of all the obstacles it took to get here.
Sore muscles, aches and pains, missing those parties, dedicating endless hours to training, shin splints and ofcourse food poisoning TWICE.
I stand at the starting line, overwhelmed with- no not butterflies, but love and gratitude.
Five months ago, little did I know an Ultra was in my future.
No, but here I am.
Its 6:00 AM.
Race starts.
I feel strong, I feel light, I feel fast.
I stay consistent, don't go out too fast- I remind myself.
Aid station three, mile 16.2- I was feeling great.
Physically, absolutely no complaints.
Mentally, I was positive and preparing myself for the steep two mile incline.
Just a month and a half before this exact spot had brought me sheer pain, and nightmares everyday since then.
Nightmares- until today.
Thankfully I was hiking up this hill with a fellow Ultra marathon runner, we were not running but we were not walking. We were consistent and we were fast all while hydrating.
We kept a consistent conversation, why we were there, what races we have previously did, what line of work we were in and WHAM BAM THANK YOU MA'AM
we were at the fourth aid station.
That was it?
There was a nagging pain in the hip flexor that was not going away. It hurt.
But then again, nothing hurt more than having food poisoning.
I kept going.
The next aid station came and gone- my hip flexor hurt more, it hurt to walk and it hurt to run but then I kept going.
Mile 30.
Turn around point- time to head back to the finish line.
Mentally- I'm great, more positive than I have ever been during any practice run or race I've participated in.
Physically- I could barely walk.
My hip. OHHHH my hip.
I see Coach Arkady and he helps me ice.
I stick ice down my shorts- hold it on my hip and I get up and hike the three miles up the mountain.
I have to keep going.
Mile 37.
If I could possibly rip my hip off- I would.
I've never had hip pain- why start now.
I keep running. Attempt to run.
That's when I ran into Lulu. Trying to stay positive we both chat about the 106 degree heat.
I hadn't noticed.
I tell her about my hip pain- she gives me two advils and we part ways.
I jog, thinking it hurts less to run than to walk.
I contemplate my game plan- how will this steep downhill effect my hip and knee pain?
Wait, what pain?
I'm running, and when I say running- I mean I'm speeding down this mountain.
Hip and knee pain NO MORE.
Hallelujah Advil.
Mile 43 aid station- Boy I never thought I'd see you so quickly!
After a few potatoes, some dunks in the ice buckets and two more advils- I was off.
Hiked up the first two miles, sharing a gluten free vegan bread recipe with 50k participant Jackie and with five miles left- I sprinted.
I stopped mid way to assist an older man who was suffering from the heat. Emptied my pack of ice and cold water and helped him cool down. 15 minutes later- I was sprinting.
Sprinted ALL THE WAY BACK.
50 miles.
After 11 hours and 4 minutes I had completed my mission...
My first Ultra marathon.
I remember every second of that race.
And every second- especially of the last 10 miles, I thought- when can I sign up again?
A week has passed since this experience and I feel the same way.
I couldn't wait to do another endurance event (Completed a 50 mile bike race in Mexico 6 days after crossing that finish line).
Although I had hip pain, food poisoning so fresh in my memory- anything was possible.
Finishing Leona Divide a mere 4 minutes after Western States qualifications- I think I did fairly well.
But I want to do better, and I know I can.
With Team in Training I was able to endure something I never knew possible!
With my dedication and hard work I know I can do it again.
Soon.
Till next time,
Peace, love and happiness.
The Ginger Runner was able to capture the race on his own. I remember running alongside him quite a few times.
Great video!