2008 Grasslands Run 50 Mile

Held March 22, 2008
LBJ National Gasslands

The race was great this year. The weather was about the same, except maybe 6 or 7 degrees cooler, which was nice because it got very hot last year. I brought sunscreen this year too, which was also helpful. I was worried about my right knee acting up since I've been having a lot of problems with it this past month, but it never gave me any problems, so I was pumped about one less pain I would have to manage!

I enjoyed the course, which is like a cloverleaf, with four loops all starting and finishing in the same central area where the one drop bag is located. The first two loops went quickly, with the third loop being the most difficult. I changed shoes and headed out feeling great at the start of the third loop. I wasn't feeling nearly as good at that point last year. I remember thinking, "Damn, I'm only halfway done, with another 25 miles left to go!" This time, I just pushed it out of my mind and took off. I was tired and ready to be finished by the end of that loop. I had cold beer at two different aid stations on the loop, which was tasty but didn't exactly reinvigorate me. I discovered that I enjoy Pyramid Hefeweizen! I took off on my last loop and a couple miles into it my Ipod died! I had been running by myself for most of the course and there weren't a ton of other runners out, so I hit a mental low shortly after that and started giving in to more walk breaks. I walked the better part of the last five miles except for a couple guys (Rich and Kevin) who were also shuffling along. Their conversation sucked me into staying with them for the rest of the way in.
My friend and roommate Israel, who I convinced to finally run a marathon, completed it in 5:29. He was there at the finish to take some pictures of me crossing, as well as this one of the two of us with Suzie Cope, the race director. After that, we grabbed some BBQ sandwiches and jumped in the car to drive about 5hrs back to the house. We got back at midnight and were exhausted. All in all, it was a pretty good time!

2008 Armadillo Dash Half Marathon

Held on Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Finish - 1:59:30

Well I just finished my 50K in Fort Worth on Saturday with Israel finishing his half marathon ever, and now he's about to run his second the very next day while I just more painful miles under my own belt. The reason we decided to make this weekend so crazy is because we had already committed to running Saturday's race when we ended up with free entries into the half that Sunday as well. We couldn't pass on a free entry worth $50 so we decided to take on both races.

Not a whole lot to say about this one, just a few notes of interest. Israel and I ran every mile together wearing the awesome finisher shirts we earned from the day before. I wore my Jason mask and carried a knife, as well as two IT Band straps to aid my aching knees in the endeavour. We didn't feel too sore, but I definitely noticed a more strained effort coming from both of us to give the same performance we did Saturday. Our legs may not have been too sore, but they were definitely tired.

We didn't think we had much chance at finishing under 2hrs until we got to mile 9 and I told Israel it might be possible. That's when we decided to "embrace the suck" and give it everything we had left. Unfortunaltey, we were met with horrific head winds turning into the final three miles on a highway frontage road. We all but skipped the final aid station to make our last kick to the finish. Israel could hear me huffing and puffing under my mask and I thought I was going to throw up as I crossed the finish line, but we actually did it. We turned in a negative split for the race and Israel finished several minuted faster than he did Saturday, effectively setting and breaking his Half Marathon PR all in two days!

The medals and shirts weren't bad, and some people wanted their picture taken with me after the race in my Jason mask, so it was a good time, despite my aching knees and tendons.

2008 Fort Worth Cowtown Marathon (50K)

Held on Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
Finish - 4:59:14

This is a race I've wanted to run for some time and had sort of forgotten about until this year. It was a unique situation since this was the 30th anniversary of the race. They directors decided to include a 50K Ultra in conjunction with their normal marathon, half, 10K and 5K events. "30+ miles for 30 years" was the unofficial slogan the 50K. I had not initially planned to run the 50K, but since they were coincidentally offering it this year, of course the first thing to go through my mind (and most ultra runners' minds) is, "Well what's 5 extra miles to make it a 50k?"

I had also convinced my roommate to finally run his first half marathon, so we drove from College Station to Mesquite (where I live) Friday evening and had a lasagna dinner. We woke up at 0500, left at 0530 and arrived in downtown Fort Worth at about 0640. We parked, checked-in and got to the start just in time for the national anthem before embarking on our race.

We were able to do the first 8 miles together before our courses split, and we had been training and planning to run the same pace at least until the course split. We kept an even pace running for 10 and walking 1. When we finally split, my next 5 or 6 miles were well under 9 minutes. I knew I would have to stay disciplined and keep it slow and steady if I didn't want to end up cramping towards the end. I hit every aid station and even had a beer while still feeling strong the whole way. I got the most demotivated when the ultra course split onto a trail for a 5 mile out-and-back before returning to the marathon course at the same spot we left from. It was slow and painful and I wanted it to end when I saw the 26mi marker come and go on the trail, but somehow I managed to keep my run up for about 90% of that out-and-back. The final miles on the marathon course passed with ease and I flew into the finish chute.

I finished in 4:59:14 and the medals and shirts for this race were sweet! Afterwards, we drove back to Mesquite and soaked our legs in the pool, took a nap, ate an early dinner and drove back to College Station to get ready for our Sunday race!

Bandera 100K

Held in January 2008

I'll start by saying that this course brutally beat me into submission, but that I've come to terms with it.

Having said that, I drove with my mom (enlisted to crew for me) to College Station from Dallas two days before the race. We had shrimp, pasta and corn before I packed my two drop bags for The Lodge and Cross Roads, then went to bed. We got up the next day and headed for Bandera and the Hill Country State Natural Area. It was beautiful and I had never been there before, but as soon as we arrived I realized that these were harsher looking hills than I expected to see in Texas. I talked with some people I knew, checked in, and sat through the course breifing before going to sleep in the bed of my truck.

I got up an hour before the start, used the bathroom, had some breakfast and moved towards the finish line. Before I knew it we were off and I was scared! I had not done any running for almost four weeks prior to the race to let a foot injury heal up completely, and I still wasn't sure it was %100. Fortunately it held up alright without any incident, but left my legs at the mercy of the hills. I got through most of my first 50K loop alright. Until the last 8 or 9 miles when I hit Luckys Peak and Boyle's Bump. I was cramping every inch of the way and it was all I could do to keep a brisk walk. I came into the Lodge feeling a pretty down, but not out. I rested and talked with my mom for a while before changnig clothes and heading back out for the second loop. I thought to myself, if you can start the second loop, then you can finish. This was not the case as I quickly deteriorated on the course. I made it to the first aid station (nachos) and had some soup, but my stomach was feeling worse and worse. I left for chapas, a mile into it I fell and had a horrible cramp in my calf that I thought would never loosen back up. I called it quits after that. I skipped chapas and walked into Cross Roads where my mom was waiting. I told her I couldn't go any further and she took me back to the lodge to check out.

I got in my sleeping bed in the bed of the truck while my mom drove us back towards college station. I got in the cab with her after we stopped to gas up, but still felt sick. Moments after we got to the apartment and I started making my way painfully to the front door, I dropped to my knees and started throwing up. Straining with each heave, which in turn caused my fatigued muscles to all start cramping up. It was aweful! I got up and dragged myself to bed. The next morning I felt much better, but I still couldn't use my legs.

I learned a lot from this race that will prepare me for my next 100K attempt. If I ever do Bandera again I will certainly need much more hill training, but either way I could use a pacer the next time around to keep me going mentally.

2007 DRC Half Marathon

The course was very nice here. I can't remember much of the race from the previous year, but I think I'd remember the number of hills that were there this year. I thought Texas was supposed to be flat! The 0800 start time was pretty warm and it only got worse. I started my kick a little early, as I normally do. Only this time it was around mile three...I'm such a rookie that way.

I also had some nipple chaffing problems with my Too Hot to Handle singlet. Fortunately it wasn't too bad though. I only brought one GU, and took it around mile 6. I think the aid stations were every 1.5 miles. The crowd support was surprisingly high, and I think participant numbers were up from last year. The race shirt was a really nice, white, long sleeve Brooks with the race logo printed on it. TEAM in Training was out at the event getting ready for the Dallas White Rock Marathon in Dec., so there was a lot of support for that too. The aid stations were really well staffed, and it's always fun grabbing your Gatorade from an enthusiastic little 10 year old at the table.

Altogether this was a good way to knock out a long run in a relatively quick time!

LBJ Gasslands 50 Miler

Held in March 2007

LBJ Grasslands Run 50 Miler
Finish Time: 11:20:00

I finally did it. I stepped into the unkown abyss that is ultrarunning. I mean ok I did a 50K, which is technically an ultra, but only 5miles longer than a marathon (a distance I know I can do). But 20 miles beyond that was my real test. I was admittedly very nervous in the days leading up to this race. Was I prepared physically? Mentally? I sure hoped so.

I drove out out Friday evening, picked up my race packet and headed to the campgrounds for the night. I had a DQ chicken sandwich for dinner and it was a nice warm night with a little breeze. I busted out my sleeping bag in the bed of the truck and packed my "drop bag" for the race. I put in an extra pair of shoes, socks, headlamp, 8 GU packets, my foot repair stuff, some tylenol and light rain jacket. I curled up in my bag and called Erin for a few minutes before getting some pretty good sleep.

My alarm went off at 0545, but i snoozed until 0605. I hate getting up when it's still dark out, but I put my bag away and busted out the french toast waffles I made at home Friday afternoon. I washed them down with water while I was almost shaking with anticipation. I went to the bathroom before a line started, although I couldn't see anyone in the darkness. I grabbed my drop bag and brought it to the 50 mile start/finish area, then busted out my Ipod and water bottle. We got some last minute instructions about the course layout before we took off at 0700. I was scared as hell at that point, and just tried stay calm and take it easy. I got caught in Phoenix and Houston taking off too fast and paid dearly for it each time. After a few miles, hitting the first aid station and the sun coming up, I fellt much much better. I finished the first (blue) loop in about 3hrs and got a warm welcome coming into the main 50 miler aid station. Everyone just started calling me aggie because I wore my corps marathon team outfit the whole course. I took off on the 2nd (yellow) loop feeling pretty good still. There wasn't too much exciting going on for this shorter 10.5mi loop, and I finished it pretty quickly. Maybe too quick.

I changed my shoes and socks because my feet were killing me and I had a lot of sand in my shoes after the first 25 miles. I also called Erin for just a minute to tell her I was still alive before heading back out on the third (white) and worst loop of the whole course. Halfway into it I there was an aid station that had jagermeister! I thought, "Why not?". I downed a cup and kept moving. A few miles later in the 15 mile loop I got a twinge in my inner thigh...then another...then a cramp in my calf. I had to walk for a bit. I thought "maybe it was just a one time thing." I started up running again and had cramps in about 1/4 mile. I couldn't believe it! How fast had I been going? How high was my heart rate? How many calories and electrolytes had I been taking in? It quickly became clear that my blood had been pumping hard enough to dump a considerable amount of lactic acid into my legs during the previous loop and I was paying for it now. I had also not been able to get enough electrolytes into my system. I remedied both of these problems by slowing down for the last 10 miles of the loop while taking in E-capsules at every aid station. This helped immensly, and I was feeling better by the end of the third loop. I came into the start/finish area looking beat. You know you look bad when people are all telling you how great you look in a race. I learned that when I was going through cancer treatments!

I ate some fruit and a cookie, then popped some tylenol before going out on the final red (1o.5 mile) loop. I felt much better from the start of this loop and ran it at a much faster pace than the previous loop. It went by pretty quickly, and next thing I knew I was 2 miles away from finishing with an awesome view of the sun going down over the hills in front of me. I was finishing my first 50 miler and I was going to do it in under 12hrs!!! This all got me a little choked up and teary-eyed right before the finish. I rounded the last corned to see everyone clapping for me as I came into the finish. The race director, Suzi Cope, gave me my medal and buckle and a big hug (which I needed). I immediately sat down, took off my shoes and called Erin to tell her I finished. After a few minutes of sitting, I got up and took a few pictures, grabbed a BBQ sandwich and got in my truck. My brother just graduated from basic training and I had to go see him before he left for AIT.

In Conclusion...
I accomplished something that has been a huge goal of mine ever since I was diagnosed and started running. I couldn't have been more happy with the trail, the other runners, or the race organizers. Now that I'm healing back up, I can honestly say that I look forward to attempting my first 100K run next year!

Armadillo Dash Half Marathon

Held March 2007

I did the Armadillo Dash 1/2 Marathon yesterday morning. It was sunny most of the time, but freezing cold as well. I ran it with Steven, Sonia, Valerie and Chris Felleisen. I dressed up in a devil costume to make the run a little more fun for everyone and it seemed to work. I had on a backpack with a speaker attached to my Ipod which played music the whole time. People kept sayng "Oh, the devil made me do it." since it was Sunday morning I guess.

I had pretty bad shin pains during the first 3 or 4 miles before it finally let up. I think it was from the backpack making me run differently to compensate for the jostling. I don't have my chip time yet, but I finished sometime just under 2hrs. The medals were sharp looking and we got technical t-shirts to go with them. After the race we went to Freebirds and stuffed our faces with some burritos. I definitely want to do this again next year!