Coldwater Rumble 50k Race Report

I love running.

I love meeting new friends.

I love pushing my limits.

But I am well aware of the time it takes away from my family. And yesterday, it weighed heavy on my mind before this race even began.

This made two weekends in a row that I had been gone racing and a powerful wave of guilt wash over me during the first 5 miles of this race. I had already talked myself into dropping out when I closed the first loop around the course. Aside from my anxiety and guilt, I was also having equipment issues - almost as if I had tried to subconsciously sabotage the race before it even began.

I sent a message to wife that I would be dropping out and would probably be home early. She returned back with an 'I love you' and that she and the kids were proud of me. She also mentioned that if I didn't finish, I would probably come to regret it later. She knows me all too well...

Besides, she said I have to finish to ensure we have a complete set of 4 Aravaipa beer pints! LOL :)

One of the many reasons I love my wife.

Her reassurance and words of encourage removed my trepidation and I resolved to finish what I started. 

With my guilt removed, I now had to deal with my equipment issues.

1. I chose the wrong (new) shoes...
2. My tights were rubbing me the wrong way

I knew that if I could make it back to the Start/Finish, I could change clothes (at least I had the foresight to bring backup shoes and shorts).

Ahhh....relief.

New shoes, socks and shorts breathed new life into my body and psyche...bring it on inner loop.

(By the way, it was an amazing day to run yesterday. Overcast and 65 - neither too hot or too cool.)

The remainder of the race was fairly uneventful. There was quite a bit of spacing between myself and the rest of the folks holding down the back of the pack - enough that I only saw one other person the last couple hours. I was definitely tired but managed to keeping moving through the rolling hills and walking up the steeper hills. (Those darn Coury brothers always seem to put a hill at the end of every race).

I finished in 7:34  - which is not my best showing but considering my mental and equipment issues, I'm fine with just getting across the finish line.

Now, it's time to put energy into training for race # 5 - San Tan Scramble. My home course and the location of my first ever 50k. Looking forward to having a complete set of beer pints.

A step away from madness

Deep down, I hope that I inspire people to do things that they thought were impossible.

Most of the time however, people just shake their head at me.

"You're running how far?!"

"Are you stupid?"

"Run Forrest, run!"

I've come to believe that ultra-running does require some extra chemical in the brain that (1) ignores what everyone else thinks, (2) ignores pain and (3) ignores common sense.

This week I've been fighting that chemical and wavering back and forth on how badly I want to run the Coldwater 50k this weekend.

I feel pretty good after last weekend's PF Chang marathon yet with all the elevation of the Coldwater course, I have no doubt I'll be destroyed.

I hate (yes, hate) not fulfilling commitments - especially ones I've paid for! :) Yet at the same time, I feel so under-trained and sloppy that it seems like an exercise in futility to go push the boundaries of the 9-hour cut-off time on Saturday.

Even as I write this, I thought I had decided to run the full 50k...now, I'm not so sure.

"But I don't want to go among mad people,' said Alice. 'Oh, you can't help that,' said the cat. 'We're all mad here." - Lewis Carrol

100 miles, cookies and zombies

Well the holidays are over and now that family is gone and the Christmas decorations are down, it's time to rid the house of all the cookies, chocolate and refined sugar we've been ingesting without pause.

We call it 'The Purge'.

Far from an apocalyptic event that involves zombies or flesh-eating viruses but a key milestone of the new year that vanquishes gluttony and greed.

In the meantime, I've been making my peace with (1) the little bit of weight I gained over the holidays (2) my lack of mileage while family visits and (3) the head cold I came down with right before the new year. All of the above have put a damper on things and left me questioning my status for the couple races I have in the weeks to come.

The PF Chang Marathon is January 15 (what a great way to spend your birthday!) and then the Coldwater 50k is the following Saturday (1/21).

Oh, and I have to travel to Redmond between 1/9 and 1/11.

I could probably be pig-headed and muscle through these races but I'm not sure I'd enjoy them as much. It's the principle of 'wasting' those registration fees ya know?

Oh, and by the way I signed up to run the Leanhorse 100 in August of 2012. Yes Virginia, I signed up to run 100 miles...I'm excited that I signed up like I said I would but this head cold makes me really wonder if I've got the stamina and health to see it through. I'd hate to train for 9 months just to get sick before the race. Guess we're going to find out.

Thanks for reading the randomness today.