What was I thinking?
It doesn't matter. I showed up, camped out the night before and got very little sleep because the sweet young ladies in the tent adjacent to ours were so excited they were giggling and talking till after 11 pm. I finally just got up and politely asked them to be quiet since it was so late. I honestly think they had no idea how late it actually was. They were silent after that.
Woke up, got ready, and started out at what I had decided was my slow and steady pace. It was great. I ran 21 miles and then started on a run/walk cycle where I would run half the loop, walk up the "hill" and then run the rest of the way. After my first half loop, Wyatt came to run with me for a while. It was magical and amazing to get to run with her again. Unfortunately, after 5 miles my foot really started to have some terrible pains in the arch/heel area.
I was saving my extra cushiony shoes for the last half of the day, but decided to put them on early to try and help the pain. I was devestated when it didn't help. I walked, tried running, and just couldn't do it. It hurt so much that it was affecting my form in a really bad way. So I walked and wondered what I would do with myself the rest of the 24 hours...it was around 2 pm and I had 18 hours left of the run.
Bill, the Godfather of the run, gave me some advice and we walked a couple of laps together. He is the best story teller and made me forget my worries. Eventually we tried running part of the route every time we made a loop. I was able to do this a few more times and then the pain was back with a vengance.
So I took the excedrin, was generous with the biofreeze, and just kept on walking. I was able to do speed walking for a long time. Then I started to get a pain in my hip so that slowed me down. I took an hour nap after putting on warmer clothes around midnight, then went out for a few more laps. I set my goal for 100k and counted down laps to reach my goal one by one. MR got up around 4 am and walked my last lap with me. I was in a lot of pain with my hip and my foot, and I had met my goal. I decided to get some more rest and see if I could get some relief from the pain to maybe get a few more laps in after the sun came up.
The sun came up and I hurt so much that I didn't care about anything but packing up camp and driving home. I felt nauseated and sick to my stomach and wanted to curl up in a ball and go unconcious for a while.
So on my way back from the bathrooms I picked up a banana for the banana lap and we put it down in front of our tent. So I got .09 more miles on my total.....
I did have a great time with Wyatt and the other amazing runners I was lucky enough to share a few minutes with around the track. I just wish I wouldn't have had so many pain problems. I could have easily met my goal of 80 miles otherwise.
Maybe next time.... (dont' tell MR- I told him we weren't ever going back.)
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