Just doing some maintenance.

24 hours to go. Once you start, you can finish.

Well, maybe not quite that simply. I guess it depends on your goals and objectives. My objective for this run was to move for 24 hours and in the processes hopefully meet my 3 goals:

1. To place higher than I placed last year (which was 4th place)
2. To cover more miles than last year (which was 93 miles)
3. To cover over 100 miles
4. To fine tune and nail down some nutritional strategies (this is always a work in progress) especially some way to stay positive during the doldrum hours of 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

This then could maybe lead to my own personal redemption after my incomplete Arrowhead adventure.

The Pacific Rim 24 Hour Run in Longview, Washington is a really neat event. The volunteers are super, the race director is a hoot and the other runners are as inspiring as any ultra endurance athlete can be. I knew this much going in after doing this race last year (I was 39 at the start of the race and turned 40 during the run...I got to run into my 40's!). I looked forward to doing this event again with a clear set of goals and an achievable objective.

Awesom Volunteers & RD (Pic from Tim Englund)

This year the weather forecast was wet and cold (thank you, La Nina). I don't like wet and cold is even worse. I packed about every piece of running gear imaginable from the cold weather section of my closet (yes I even got into my Arrowhead supplies, fearing the worst).

And then, we got to the starting line and I went out like a streak of lightening and didn't eat...


Smart Start (Picture from Sarah Duncan)

No wait, that isn't what I did. I took it "easy", I paced myself, I visited with some runners (Eb, Seth...) that I hadn't seen in a long time. I walked a little. Mostly I ran. Then my feet started hurting. I mean HURTING. Seriously, we weren't even 5 hours into this thing and the bottoms of my feet were crying for some serious drugs. My left hip starting hurting. My right butt got in the act and felt quirky too. Really? 24 hours of this? I mean I know I am not built to be a runner but after only 5 hours??? At least the sun was shining (sort of...). I stretched ("Just doing some maintenance"), I rubbed my feet (WOW! That felt good), I kept moving. I changed my shoes and my feet felt better at least. The stretching helped.


Early on, Pain starting (from Sarah Duncan)

From Sarah Duncan

I think the sun set but who knows. 1 mile loops never really get boring because each loop looks different (different dogs, different walkers, different crows) and I have a simple mind that is easily entertained. I decided that at midnight (or 15 hours) I would take some ibuprofen and rub my feet. I was looking forward to midnight!

Crow Friend (from Sarah Duncan)

After my foot rubbing-ibuprofen stop, John went to bed and I continued to run in circles. After about a loop and a half the ibuprofen kicked in and I learned something: When I don't hurt I can actually run! I don't know exactly how fast I was going but I felt like I was flying! I was passing people that had been passing me, I was feeling good and going for my goals. I put my music on and just ran. At  around 3 a.m. I realized I was feeling negative because I wasn't telling people "Good job" when I saw them nor was I thanking the volunteers. For the first time ever I used a 5 Hour Energy and WOW! I won't say it gave me more energy but my mood improved noticeably. It may have helped my energy as usually from about 4 a.m. to well after sunrise I usually feel really tired and sort of let down. That never happened at Pac Rim this year.

Have you ever had one of those runs or moments or experiences when you feel STRONG and INVINCIBLE and almost like a MACHINE? The last 7 or so hours of Pac Rim were like that for me. I don't know how fast I was running, but I felt FAST, I felt STRONG, I felt UNSTOPPABLE. I wish I could bottle that feeling up and drink it whenever I wanted. I get all tingly just thinking about it now.

On my final running loops around that 1 mile "track" I was thinking about the distance kids I have coached in track and how they can fly down the back side of the track on the last lap. Then I began to channel Steve Prefontaine and visualized myself racing down the backside of the track. I wonder what I really looked like? In my minds eye I was smooth and graceful. HA!

Channeling better runners than myself
(from John Pearch)

In the end I achieved my objectives and I met all of my goals. Mentally I was on it and I really believe it was because I had those very measurable goals at the front of my brain at all times. Physically I paced myself, I pushed myself when I was able and I managed my food and water spot on. It was a great 24 hours.

Done running 100. Me eating, John messing with his phone.
(From Tim Englund)

What did I do right?

1. The forecast was cold and wet. I started in tights and stayed in tights. Can't say that I ever really got too cold as I constantly adjusted my layers as needed and changed only once after I did get rained on pretty good.
2. I think I got my energy figured out! I drank Perpetum from the beginning (mixed as a 1 hour bottle) with one gel pack mixed in. I snacked at the aid table. I took a gel whenever I got "behind" on my one hour bottle. This really worked! I will try it in the heat and hopefully I have something for Badwater!
3. I had the tunes to run to. I noticed my pacing was in line with whatever song was playing.
4. I ended up using two 5 Hour Energy bottles (4 hours apart). They certainly made me feel more positive during the doldrum hours.
5. I kept my goals and objectives at the forefront of my mind. I set little goals based on the clock as I went (like trying to get in 3 more loops before the next hour ticked onto the clock).
6. I rubbed my feet 3 times. Totally worth the time it took as I have really messed up feet with arthritis in my right foot.
7. Ibuprofen is my really really really good friend. So is caffeine. Better running through chemistry!
8. Constantly monitored and fixed any mental and physical problems as they came up, before they got to big too big handle.

What did I do wrong?  Well, not much really....

1. I took bad shoes. I mean, I didn't know they were bad, but they were. I should have changed them sooner.
2. I didn't keep track of my laps and I think one might have been missed in the afternoon. Oh well.

Objectives complete, goals achieved.


100 MILES! (Pic from John Pearch)

2nd Place and 103 miles (Pic from Tim Englund)