BT50K Report

I was giddy as a girl driving out to the starting site. I had no idea what today would bring. I fibbed a little bit the other day--all systems were not go. I still felt creaky and fatigued every time I climbed my townhouse steps, but I decided to be in total body denial and cling to the hope of race day magic, so I'd just have to take the day as it comes and see if the running gods would smile down. Driving out to the race site, the sky reminded me more of a Roadrunner sky than a Summ
er Buckeye 50K sky the way the inky dark clouds lay against the blue of the lightening sky and how cool it was. I met Bob at the Park N' Ride on 303 so we could ride to the start together. It started to rain, which really bummed me out since the forecast was calling for only 30% rain. Bob and I stood around with Suzanne, Brett, and Maria at the start. We stood around shivering like it was a fall race.

The section from the start at Oakgrove to the first aid station at Snowville is not my favorite--too many low lying swampy areas. The light blue of the sky had been encroached by a solid light gray drizzling a light steady light rain that penetrated the trees messing up my fluffy red squirrel of a ponytail and my glasses.
I was already harassed by Suzanne and Maria for using hairspray and now everything was all stuck together. Nearsighted, all I need to see is the ground in front of me, so carried my glasses, but felt I looked funny and naked without thick plastic frames to hide behind. The mud was ridiculous--many shoe sucking muddy sections where we slipped and ran like drunk people. Brett, Maria, Bob and Don were running single file. Melissa joined in to pace Brett at Ottawa Point. There was plenty of trash talking here started by discussing Bob's new book called, "Born to Run," which he heard from Nick's blog which references a host of characters--one of which is devoted to ultra running and sex parties.

Not even four miles into the run I took dirt dive. I don't even know what it was that tripped me up, but this was a relatively painless slide that gave me an upper outer leg abrasion, but didn't wrench my ankles, so I was grateful. I thought it was pretty darned graceful compared to the ankle wretching I took on our last training run where I sat on the ground for ten minutes and cried. I was up in a flash on this one, but, of course, two other guys saw this and made mention of it later in the race. I was annoyed with that and the relentless pissy rain.

Already Brett, Maria, and Don had inched out of our sight. I was still chatting with Melissa when she decided to race ahead to pull in the reigns of Brett who was obviously feeling good. I thought Brett had everything going for him this race--cool temps, a camelback for consistent hydration, and base of many good training runs. Bob kept a nice even pace in front of me. I was not feeling great--my legs were feeling heavy and the rain was dampening my spirits, but I consoled myself that I could probably maintain this low level feeling of shit the whole race.

My favorite section of the BTK50 are the few descending miles approaching Boston Store where the trail is smooth, rootless and so easy to run I felt like a kid again. Bob and I saw the front runners, some guy I couldn't identify along with Kam Lee trailed by Mark Godale. It's absolutely inhuman how they could already be on the return trek, like they've got battery packs propelling them up the hills that the rest of us mortals trudge up hunched over like we've got ten pounds on our backs, but it's true--they run up the freakin hills. Kam Lee glided up the hill like a man possessed, focused and gravity defying, like he was a criminal being chased down by the law.

As Bob and I ran the short bit of asphalt into Boston Store we were greeted by a throng of cheering Boston Store aid station helpers. There was Debi, wearing a mustard yellow Buckeye half sweatshirt, holding an umbrella against the steady downpour and smiling like she always does. I know she wanted to be out here so bad running with Bob and I, but she makes the best of a bad situation and never sulks when there are running compadres to cheer on. Hope was there too--looking cute as all get out, umbrellaless, but ready to serve. Gosh--everyone was just great! This is how I get through these crazy 50K's--I just focus on the next aid station opportunity to eat a bit and chat with great people and be on my way. You were all wonderful.

E-Speed, working at the station, told us the incedible story about Kam Lee racing a freaking train on the Cuyahoga Valley Line to avoid having to wait and allowing his close friend and rival, Mark Godale, a chance to catch up to him. E-speed raced her heart out to the tracks to tell him to wait--they'd simply deduct the time from his race that he had to wait for the train. It would only be a minute or so, but incredibly, Kam, crossed the train tracks with the train dangerously close. All that witnessed it said that had he hesitated one moment or tripped, this story might have had a tragic ending. Sheesh!

From Boston to Pine Lane, I did some bitching. It was still raining. My hair was a mess and I felt naked running without my glasses, but I asked Hope to hold them since I couldn't stand carrying them. Bob was still feeling great and out ahead of me. At one point, I was losing sight of him and yelled ahead that I'd leave his ass on the return back if he didn't reign it in a bit. Bob and I have a pact--he keeps me running at a good clip in the earlier miles before long distance endorphins have a chance to their thing when I'm generally stiff and grumpy. I just might be ready for a 50 mile race, cause I didn't really start feeling super good until we had run half the course to the Pine Lane Aid station. I love Pine Lane--the sun had just started to come out and shine through the pines. We saw Brett, Maria and Don coming out of the station as we were approaching.
I emerged from the woods looking and feeling a bit like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, approaching the station while digging out my extra strength Exedrin with caffeine. The Pine Lane volunteers kind of freaked me out the way they were all standing there watching me. I said, "Hey, what are you looking at!!" I feel like I scare people when I don't wear my glasses, a pink tanked dirty legged trail running curiosity. They were just being attentive is all, waiting to fill my bottle or whatever it is I needed. Hope was there!! It was great seeing her at all those stops. This was her first aid station experience so I hoped she was enjoying it. I tended toward the Coke this race and salty cracker like things--Fritos, crackers, and Goldfish really hit the spot, topped off with a handful of M & M's. I carried Heed in my bottle, and for some reason, it wasn't gagging me the way it did last year. Maybe I had a bad batch or something last year, but it was pleasant tasting and did the trick. Brian hardly said a peep but finally told us we needed to be mindful of our time and head on back.

I was finally coming totally alive. I was feeling much much better--I think it was the sun finally coming through the trees, the Exedrin kicking in to kill the little knot of pain at my back, and the good ole race day magic working on my spirits. Bob and I picked up the pace a little and for the return trek, we traded positions. He'd be watching my butt for the next 15 miles. I felt fabulous--all the little things I worried about--my plantar fasciitis, my ankles, my I-T bands and even my 4 year old ripped to hell Mizuno's weren't giving me blisters!! I waited for the Barbie legs feeling to come, but the feeling of wanting to rip my legs out of there pelvic sockets never occurred. I got another energy boost seeing Suzanne and Dwayne coming through Pine Lane--a exhausting half mile labyrinth of pine root hopping madness. We exchanged hugs and later caught up with Brett and Melissa. Brett was doing some walking now and looked like he didn't feel good. I really felt for him, but hoped he'd finish even if his time wasn't what he'd hoped for. The mystery of Brett continues, but I sure hope he'll perservere.

The dappled sun playing on the forest floor made me happy, but worried the sun would camouflage tree roots into copperheads ready to take me down for another ankle retching fall. It never happened. Bob had a few brief rough patches between Snowville and the finish, but they were short-lived--we ran the entire race with no walk breaks except where we were trudging up monstrous hills. Actually, the worse thing that happened on this race was the unidentified flying insect that shot right up my right nostril and embedded in the mucous membranes of my sinus shelf. I can't do a snot rocket to save my ass, but I sure did try to get this thing out. It wouldn't budge. It made my eyes water and had me on the verge of sneezing for three miles. I asked Wanda, a nurse practitioner, at the Snowville station if she had some forceps. No luck. Eventually, I think I swallowed the vile thing.

I couldn't believe how good I was feeling. Bob was very quiet the last few miles--I knew he was spent but he was keeping up. I knew if I stopped, he'd probably stop with me, so I kept going. We finished in 7:23!! This is a PR summer BT50K for both of us!! I've run one of the winter ones slightly faster than this, but the summer version is a different animal altogether. I don't think we were passed by a single person on the way back from Boston telling me that we effectively held on to our pace, but we passed a few people.
Again--thanks to all the aid station volunteers for great runner support out there. I'm so proud of my new blue blaze medal which is a new thing this year, replacing the little package of All Terrain hippy dippy outdoor products like mosquito repellant and Recovery Rub. I liked the products but would rather have this medal to remember a great day. I love it.

I still can't figure out how I slog through most of training runs, slothlike, and bitching, but somehow pull it off on race day. I really wasn't expecting this. The running gods don't smile down often, but I've been blessed with two really great races this year, Cleveland and now the BT50K, where I had the best time--doing my most favorite thing in the world with some of my closest friends. Thanks for the great experience!!