But wait then we get to the Pacers: My Bro- Sean, ran 3 Loops! (25.368miles) without any training. We were a sight to see crossing the finish at 2:30am(him on his 3rd and me on my 6th). Looked like were just lost a battle with oncoming traffic. Then there was Holly, Matt, Annukka, Caroline, Tony, Joe, Clare, Patrick, Erin… the list goes on and on. And of Course Both sets of Parents! We kept saying how lucky we are to have such awesome family and friends!
Sean, Me, and Caroline (4th Loop Crew)
OK so we got to Lloyd Hall around 6:30am. Maggie scoped a spot right behind the Volunteer tent which was perfect! We set up, walked to Little Pete’s (on Fairmount), ate Pancakes, came back, lathered on the sunscreen and glide, listened to some spokespeople talk and before we knew it…It was 10am!
My first lap I ran 15 mins and walked 5. My adrenaline was going and it really was a great day for a run. I finished in 1hr 40mins which is really good for me and I didn’t see that time again. The second lap I made so many friends! Everyone was so nice and talkative. I met one guy because we had the same pace so when he was on his run he would pass me then when he stopped for a walk break I would pass him. He was some crazy marathoner and he introduced me to 3 others in their group. I was getting excited because we all seemed to have around the same pace. I started to think that maybe this is what my body is built for (mind you I was only 2 laps in).
When I got back to the tent after the second lap a lot of friends had come by and it was cool to see everyone. Sean (bro) ran the 3rd lap with me..(technically not as a pacer because he was just running and I honestly had no idea he would last more than one lap.) When we were about to finish he said he wanted to go again. I was so happy because running for hours with nothing but your own mind can become negative and boring very fast. But you get some fresh blood in there some people ready to run and it changes everything. Caroline was there when we got back and she said she would run with us. Caroline! We came up with the phrase ‘Motivatingly Annoying’ for her. Because she like would not let me walk long. I was trying to walk, I planned from the beginning of training on having this be more of a walk. That did not happen. We finished the 4th in under 2 hrs which I was happy about at the end, during I was a little angry. Could have been the fact that I was now 30 miles in or the fact that my legs were starting to ache more with every step. I took a break again, this time longer, at the tent. Now Bonnie and Matt had showed up and said they would run with me.
This lap turned dark on us. I waited to start my 5th for Maggie because I hadn’t seen her since the start. I was hearing updates from everyone like ‘she changed her socks, are you going to change yours?’ and ‘she wasn’t feeling good, got pulled for vitals, put she puked and she’s better now.’ But I was happy to see her! She left a couple mins after me but of course caught up. We passed each other back and forth that lap and it got completely dark. I had been eating every time I went back to the tent and drinking A LOT of water, but I didn’t know what was going on with Maggie. She had lots of Gus I think and her stomach was not happy. I finished my 5th lap and took another break. Sean was ready to go again and we ran to my 50th mile! The end of that 6th loop my knees were killing me. I kept stopping to grab them and rub them. Serge (the overall winner) ran by at one point and something motivational but I couldn’t make it out because he was gone again before I stood up completely.
After my 50 I was exhausted and sat for awhile. I got a massage at 3am and took a nap 4:15-5:15a. Decided I met my goal but I would run again once the sun came up. I was waiting for Maggie to leave after her 8th or 9th loop before I fell asleep because I didn’t want her to see me napping. But I was dozing off anyway and she mumbled that she was jealous. Maggie went on to run under a 10 min mile for every mile in the last 6 hrs of the race. I wanted to be on the loop again before she got back so I cracked a red bull and figured I had some time, but Annukka came running over saying she wasn’t going to stop. Joe looked at me and said ‘let’s go’ So I grabbed a water and left. My legs were like bricks. My jog looked pitiful and I was roughly a 17-20 min mile. But I was still jogging when I could. I am happy to report that I ran more than I walked (except the last 2.5 miles which I walked basically the whole thing).
Jenna came skating up on her roller skates around 7am when I had about 2 miles left of the 7th lap. She was so awake and chipper! She just told me stories as I had little to no response to anything. Joe kept me going, made me eat and drink and I hated him. But he got me there. After that lap I decided to finish it like I wanted to from the beginning and be picked up by the van. So I went with Patrick, Erin, and my dad to walk the last 2.5 miles to the first rest stop.
It was absolutely a team effort. The 2nd overall winner and top female, Sabrina, was behind me in the van. She got sick and just looked up apologizing. She ran 137 miles, I would have thought there was something wrong if she wasn’t throwing up. When I got out of the van Maggie was right behind me. She looked spent. She was sad she didn’t get the last 3 miles to break 100 but she was the first runner under 100 (closest to breaking it out of everyone else).
It was such an experience and I have not stopped talking about it for the last 3 days.
My legs are working for the most part again. My knees are still getting the kinks out but I think I should be ok in a few more days. I am going to try to run tomorrow and see what happens. It seems like such a long time until my next race (Sept 18). I have plenty of non-running things to keep me busy until then but it just seems like it might be a long two months.
I couldn't reach my foot to do this stretch so big bro, Patrick, had to help me out. Also, the 3rd candidate for Best Big Bro award!
At the end, Maggie's cousin Joe (my 7th loop pacer) said he got me a Bday present...This bag of Ice.
Oh and I forgot, Just around Midnight...There was cake! Sean's birthday is Sunday and he is already back on FL so we got to celebrate both our Bdays. I think the last time we did it was at Avalon Campground and it was a Pocohontas cake..I was maybe 10 or 11..
There were balloons on the tent and I wore a shirt that said 'It's my Birthday' Most Happy Birthdays ever!
I wanted to remember my 27th Birthday which is why I signed up for this crazy race and join Maggie. I am happy to report that mission was accomplished.
(and if you noticed my countdown is now set for the Philadelphia Marathon in November- 122 days...No time to waste)
