Way to go Brian!

This weekend was the official Rocky Mount Relay for Life. A few weeks earlier, I had had my "own" relay and did my two "races" in one . . . my first and my last 50-miler! But this weekend was the real event and there were two things going on: 1) RMEC (Rocky Mount Endurance Club) had a team to run the 24 hour event, and 2) my friend Brian Langford was attempting his first 50-miler and I wanted to support him as I could.

Brian is a really fast 5k runner and athlete who had never done a marathon, let alone an ultra. Plus, he has recently suffered through the dreaded and mysterious "painful butt injury" (aka upper hamstring, piriformis syndrome, etc.) that seems to come out of nowhere to plague distance runners for a 6 month period. But Brian wanted to attempt this to honor his daughter who had died from cancer. So he decided! I worried that Brian would not be able to start out slow enough.

Right off the bat we realized Brian's original plan would never work. The track was totally packed with people! So many you literally could not run. So Brian decided to start his running by going down to our green way and running that until we couldn't see (no . . . of course we didn't bring headlights!!). Brian and I did one lap (about 5.6 miles), looped back to the stadium to get fluids, picked up Eric Pate and Arthur Bennett and headed out again. At least by starting with me, his first 9 miles or so were slow!

When we got back to the stadium the crowds were still pretty bad, so Brian and some friends (Ashley Bass, Steve Cooper, Michael Forrester to name a few) headed back out to run up and down Independence Blvd. I went into the tent a grabbed some sleep! About midnight Brian came in and told he quite a big group of guys were running with him, but they were going too fast! And of course he was running with them! Idiot! About 2 am I got up, put my shoes on and started running with him again. Scott Wingfield had come as I napped and had run 24 miles or so with Brian. Scott headed home and I joined. Brian was at about 35 miles and doing really good! He had settled into running two laps and walking one and seemed virtually unaffected by the miles. I found out I couldn't keep up with his preferred pace! How embarrassing is that for me!!

At around 43 miles, Brian's achilles started burning so he walked about a mile or so and then started running again. The pain eased. Sunrise was spectacular and we saw a blimp pass in the early morning light. And just before 7 am, Brian finished his 50 miles to the roar of the morning crowd, encouraged by the PA announcer and Brian's feat! Mission accomplished, Brian! I'm proud of you!

Now . . . what do I do?

All I could think of was . . . "What in the heck was I thinking?"

It was getting dark, the bottom of my left foot was burning from blisters, my right ankle hurt from a mis-step just past the 3/4 of the way, and when I ran all I could manage was a painful "survival shuffle." But all I had was 5 more miles to go!

Thanks to the really bad influences of my Mangum Track Club (MTC) fellow members, my personal running goal for 2009 was to run a 50 mile run. Before meeting these folks I was very happy just running marathons.

I was going to make my 50 mile attempt at the Rocky Mount "Relay for Life" event in April. But I started getting worried! My fitness level seemed to be declining. Had two "bad" marathons in a row (George Washington's Birthday Marathon in MD and Umstead Trail Marathon two weeks ago in Raleigh). My job was keeping me from a significant number of my normal daily runs at lunch. And the runs I could make, I was struggling through. So I was worried. Plus, I needed to do a 50k run soon to "hold my fitness level" until the late April Relay . . . but there weren't any close by! Add to that, I started thinking more and more about doing 200 laps round and round and round a 400 meter track! Sounded worse and worse to me!

So I decide to "go for it" early! Rocky Mount has a great 1/2 marathon course that's not too terribly hilly, and is essentially a figure 8 course . . . Plus, there is a parking lot at the intersection of the two loops that I could use as my "home base."

Brad Weisner decided he wanted to go part way with me. Brad and I get along GREAT! And we have a similar pace so this was perfect!

Saturday morning started out in the 30s with "Carolina Blue" skies! Several of my ultra running friends had told me to start out going WAY slower then I really thought I should, so I listened to their advice. Brad and I were nearing completion of lap 1 when we met up with Elaine (Brad's wife) and Misty Schmitt, another RMEC marathoner. Then, we saw Andy Barker and Carol Dickens (more friends and RMECers) who had come to ride bikes with us . . . and brought a grocery store full of supplies!

After another 6-7 miles, Carol, Misty and Elaine went for coffee and donuts as Brad, Andy and I continued. Brad had told me last Thursday he might try to do 26.2! And that is exactly what he did! Amazing! Not much prep work at all! I'm guessing his "long run" in the last few weeks was 12 miles max!

At the marathon point I had a "sinking spell" of sorts. Felt really tired. So I had a cup of cold chicken noodle soup, some ibuprofen and headed out with Misty and Elaine.

Brad packed it in (though it seemed to me he could easily have kept going . . . he is amazing!) as did Andy and Carol. But Misty and Elaine decide that wanted to do another 5 miles! We walked about 3/4 mile and I started to recover.

We took a quick pit stop at Chico's. As we started to run again, I had a mis-step and twisted my ankle! I can't tell you the sinking feeling I had! To go this far and have this happen! Damn! But I kept moving and it did start to feel better. So I continued on. Got back to the car where Elaine and Misty said good-bye and I headed on alone towards Battle Park.

I started craving a Micky D's double quarter pound cheeseburger and a Diet Coke. So I called Connie (who was standing by to help any way she could!) and she met me in the park with the goods! I can't tell you how good that tasted! The coke was exactly what I needed and it was really good to see Connie! She picked up my spirits! Continued on to MLK Park and made the circle when Andy called and wondered where I was. Met him for a 1 1/2 miles or so back to the falls. Then, I continued on by myself to my car where I re-fueled (more chicken noodle soup!) for the final 11 miles!

I was really still doing okay at that point! Decided to do all 11 miles in the West Haven area, since I knew darkness was coming and Battle Park was probably not the place to be running / walking in the dark, even though I had my headlight.

Up until mile 44 or so I had managed to stayed in good spirits but then the wheels tsarted to fall off. Another "sinking spell" hit and hit hard! About that time I saw Brad! He had come looking for me and offered to walk the last 5 1/2, but I told him "no"! After his marathon, he had gone home and cut his grass! This guy is crazy!

Soon after seeing Brad, I got a another call from my son, Michael (he had called periodically all day). Another "pick-up" in my spirits! By this time it was getting really dark Only 4 miles to go . . . but I was struggling badly! Got a call from Michael Forrester (RMEC "Grand Popa") who wanted to meet and do the last 3 miles with me! Again, another lift of my spirits! I was doing the "survival shuffle" . . . sort of running the down-hills, but walking most of everything else!

Passed Chico's one last time and headed for the car and the end of this run. And who was there but Connie! With my favorite - Cracker Barrel's chicken and rice!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/triple_f/sets/72157615760836664/ for pictures!

Glad this one is over! 13 hours and 44 minutes! Don't believe this is quite world record pace . . . but it was a PR for me! And since I was the only "competitor" I guess I won! And set a new 50 mile course record to boot!

And most importantly, the American Cancer Society got needed contributions! I hope it helps!

My recipe for success!

• 7 bottles of Gatorade,
  
• 4 ginger creams,
  
• 2 cups of chicken noodle soup,
  
• one snickers bar,
  
• one Reece's Cup,
• 10 gels,
  
• some "bridge mix",
  
• a diet coke and
  
• 1/2 of a Mickey Ds' Double 1/4 pound cheeseburger!
• create your own "race" (and don't tell anyone) Guarenteed to improve your chances for victory!
  
• a bunch of really GREAT friends for support!