A couple things up front on this one: This was a good race that had some “digestive challenges” that played a big part in the day so warning if you aren’t into that kind of runner TMI story!

This race format is a looped course with a time limit of 6 hours. The concept of the race is not about who can run the distance the fastest but instead it is who can run the farthest in the set period of time. This course had about a 3.4 mile loop, with a smaller .6 mile loop that would only open during the last hour of the race. The little loop gets crowded and is not only narrow but has a significant hill while the bigger loop is rolling hills with a combination of fire roads, trails and asphalt.  Only complete loops count so there is some strategy needed in deciding whether to switch over to the little loop once it is open.

Because these are loops it also means that self supporting is easy with a little camp area where my husband spent the day with a book waiting for me to swing by. This meant it was easy to run light and not carry a whole lot. I had 2 hand held water bottles, one I would carry and one left with my husband who would have it filled and ready for me to switch out when I came through the loop. This actually saved me quite a bit of time, not refilling at aid stations and instead able to keep moving. I also had my fuel set out in envelopes so I could refill my pockets every other lap and not have to stop to think about what I might need to take. There was an aid station on the course as well as one at the finish loop.

This race was one that was out of town, but I had done it before. Nearly 10 years before! It was the first time I had run an ultra distance and my goal for that day was to just keep moving for 6 hours and running 20 miles would be nice since that would have been my farthest distance ever run. That day I ran 29 miles and obviously figured out that there is something in long distance that works for me. So I had a few goals for 2025:

A)    run 50k. This would be a large 50k PR but it would be a good course to try for it on, go for it!

B)     Beat my younger self. I am better trained, more knowledgeable, this should be an attainable goal

C)     Have fun. This is a day on the trails and my last long race till Fall. My last big run before I am unable to train as much during the summer, just enjoy it.

Because this race was out of town that always makes logistics a bit of a factor. What kind of sleep am I going to get? What I going to eat? This last question is where my focus always goes. I have celiac and am sensitive to not only gluten, but contamination. A race morning bagel in a hotel toaster? Recipe for disaster. But I know this, it is not new. I have practice. Yet…. We were visiting friends and I wanted to relax so decided to get Thai take out. A trusted pre-race order of PadThai with questions to the restaurant as I ordered and all precautions taken. It was tasty!

In the morning I knew something was off when I woke up. I hoped it was just race day stomach wobbles. I ate my gluten free bagel (raw since there was no trusted toaster) and headed to the race. Colin set up camp and told me “run fast, this is easy for you today”. And I was ready. Without nerves. I knew he was right.

Pretty quickly I knew something was not going according to plan. I tried to ignore it, talk myself out of it. After the first loop I grabbed my headphones because it was just too quiet out there and I needed help shoving those thoughts down. I usually don’t need those until close to 20 miles. But my mood stayed up, I stayed determined. About 2 hours in I couldn’t ignore my stomach, the gas, and heaviness feeling and found a bathroom on the course. I debated keeping what happened to myself because I was concerned my husband would want me to stop running. But ultimately I needed a bit of sympathy so when I finished the loop I told him that I as pooping blood, lots, and something was really wrong. Thankfully he knows me well and did the same quick calculation I had done about “will running harm me further? Is it safe to continue?” and he didn’t try to get me off the course and to a hospital. He helped manage my situation, giving me an ice bandana as soon as the clouds broke to keep my body temp down. Giving me salt pills, gels, asking all the right questions about what I needed. Crew chief award!

I was able to take my trusty Honey Stinger gels without issue. Celebrate that win! I tried a banana, that didn’t go well. It made my stomach unhappy in both directions. I decided if I couldn’t handle a banana then I wasn’t trying anything else, stick to the gels that were working. And I kept going. As you can imagine I had ups and downs. I had some laps that were 100% on plan and had me chasing that A goal. I had 2 that were painful to complete. But I tried to keep the war between my ears under control, keep the self talk helpful. As the day went on I would convince myself “I can do this, A goal.. today is your day!” and “C goal, have a nice day. I don’t get to do this again for a while. I am lucky to do it. Isn’t this nice?” and everything in between.

Because of my stomach problems I had to stop for the bathroom a few times during the race, this is abnormal for me. I also was moving much more slowly and labored than I should have been (but was able to talk myself out of noticing this, self talk is magic) so when the little loop opened it was a clear choice: I did not have time for a big loop. I switched to the little loop jogging the best I possibly could and trying to estimate how long the loop was taking so I would know when to stop to not get caught mid loop when the clock ran out.

Finally I told myself “last loop, almost done and then it’s all over” and passed Colin in the loop area. He was eagerly cheering for me like I was flying by and telling me “Two more!! Two more!!” . That whole loop I silently argued with him “You are insane, nope, this is the last one, sorry dude you have it wrong, I need to be done” and I did a painfully sad jog/walk. Then I finished the loop, looked at the clock and said “shit. I probably can do one more”. Well…. I am not a quitter. So off I trotted. But that actual last lap I was racing the clock. And I RAN. I finished with about 90 seconds to spare.

I was so much happier to finish with a strong lap than with the sad shuffle of the 2nd to last lap. And that last lap tied my distance for 2nd in my age group! Because the other woman finished a couple minutes before me that places me in the 3rd place spot, one I would have gotten even if I didn’t listen to Colin 😉but I was much happier I did. 29 miles. Tying my younger self.

When I finished I needed to sit and get my body temperature down. But then pretty quickly felt good. Due to my slower pace I was able to walk to a neighborhood concert, stand around rocking my friend’s baby to sleep, walk home and continue with a lovely summer day with friends like it was a 10 mile run, not 29. I could walk down the stairs the next day! I wasn’t able to eat for quite a while…. Not normal after a 6 hour race, but my digestive system wasn’t ready. I did eventually heal internally, that took a few days but I was assured I didn’t do more damage by not dropping out of the race. Likely a celiac issue with a spoon that was used on my food that had residual soy sauce on it or something. Getting to run 29 miles at any pace and not be wrecked after, that is a real trophy, possibly better than a PR.

I also left feeling pleased with my day. I wasn’t disappointed that I was “robbed” of a better result because of bad take-out. I didn’t feel ashamed that I didn’t do better. I wasn’t elated that I had done well either. I am simply pleased. I did well, I pushed through a lot, I must have been fit to do what I did under those conditions, I kept the self talk positive. I wasn’t upset that it could have gone better. I wasn’t going to be pointing fingers out a the world for “stealing” my day. I don’t exist in a vacuum, I train and race in a complicated world, race results will be a part of that.