On the way home all I could think about was; how the hell am I going to get up at 3:30am, drive almost 2hrs to run a 50k tomorrow on a course I'm not to familiar with? I don't know your guess is as good as mine. Well, nothing beats sitting on the couch with wingnut watching hgtv waiting for the misses to get home. Fast forward 2 hrs and I decide to go for an easy run with the wife just to see how I'm feeling. wow, the best thing I could have done b/c 2 little efforts later I find out I got her to run a 5:02 mm and another quick effort as well. Way to go babe!! The day is staring to slowly turn around.
Great dinner and a few glasses of wine and it's bed time!
Now the drive up to central new jersey was pretty much a easy one, after all who the hell is up and driving at 4:15 in the morning?? So showing up is half the battle right? First half the battle done! In usual fashion we arrive a little early, better parking as to not have to walk as far.
Now, of course I miss the 1st part of the course description...not all is lost. The 50k runners do a 1 mile little loop then head out on the big loop for 3 laps. Did I mention I hate loop/lap races! Get ready....GO!!
Now, just remember run your own race. You're injured and not 100% but more like 80% at best so lets just finish 1 lap. After the little loop and now on to the large loop I start to catch the 50 miler runners and I keep telling myself "run your own race" and "slow down, it's going to be a long day". Well, 1st lap down and I only made 1 wrong turn but I did 1 lap and I should feel good about that and I'm off the front but a nice gap. Well, half way into the 2nd lap I start to think, "hey I might just finish 2 laps and where are the young guy's I know are uber fast"? I didn't have to wait that long to find out, got caught and now I've got company. I swear that running with someone and talking makes the time go by quickly and the hills not so hard. I find out that the runner I shall call "M" who has worked with another runner "J" to catch my old slow ass won the Vt 50 miler and is doing Western States. Wow, so cool that I'm running with him and talking and not feeling all that bad. After another few miles he slowly puts some daylight between us. Parting words, "have a good race and see you at the finish we tell one another". After another mile or so I'm joined by another runner "J", so we're running and talking and the time is going by and now I've done 2 laps with just 1 more to go. Guess what? For the first time I'm starting to think I can actually do very well at my first 50k of the year.
So, the 3 of us are running together and then not and then together and not....like an accordion effect. "M" has always been in the lead and it's just "J" and I that are swapping places. He takes off on the climbs and I catch and talk off on the downhills.
Half way though the last lap I slowly put a little distance between us and now I'm in 2nd and I see my wife who was doing the 10 mile option. That put a smile on my face as we slapped hands passing one another. I keep telling myself "hey 3rd is not too bad, I keep thinking "J's" going to catch me. I'm running my own pace, power walking when need be and not talking any risks on the downhills. I can't believe I'm doing this well with everything that's happened within the past 24 hrs and past week of training.
Top of the last climb and last turn before I head into the mud bog/field to the start finnish area and I see my wacky wife jumping up and down cheering me on. Love her!! She asks me if it's ok that she runs with me as I finish? Hell yes it's ok! Sorry but that didn't last too long, as my pace was still quick through the muddy field. Keep telling myself "come on a little faster...get across in under 4:20 and I'll be uber happy"!
4:19 and some change...2nd pace! Not to bad for my first race of the year. I see 'M" and walk over to tell him what a great job he did and how much I enjoyed running with him. Now "J" comes across the line and of course we're both cheering him on. We all did a great job today and best part was the fun we had running in the woods talking, taking a few wrong turns and getting muddy!
As my wife and I sit in the car getting warm I ask her about her race, I can tell she was happy with the out come of her race. We both had a great day!
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