DOH!...I just noticed that the "90-Mile Point" and the "Epilogue" videos were posted to the blog, but not the most important video... the 100-Mile finish! Well, it was posted to YouTube, but I doubt anybody viewed it there... so sorry for the delay! I'm not very good at this, am I? (I don't come into view until ~ 20 seconds or so...)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Post-Run Thoughts...
It's Saturday, and I feel like myself today. Yesterday was spent sleeping and puking, for the most part. Every step was agony from strained muscles, lactic acid build-up, and blisters. Nothing a little Vaseline, Ben Gay, Advil, Rolaids, and a LOT of sleep didn't remedy.
I've learned many valuable lessons from this process:
* Community is everything. This event was not about me doing something extraordinary. It was about an ever-expanding community of people rallying around one of their own in order to accomplish something extraordinary. "No wo(man) is an island", as the saying goes. I couldn't possibly have acheived this if not for the help and goodwill of professional colleagues, neighbors, friends, family, and the Peninsula community. I'm very happy and grateful to have so many overlapping networks. YAY! We all did it together!
* We can acheive anything we set our hearts and minds to. Sure, it may take longer than we anticipate, and we may be fearful of the unknown. But the fear of never having tried far outweighs the fear of failing. I don't want to leave this life lamenting all of the things I might have done but didn't, because it was 'safe, comfortable, and easier' not to. I'm going to apply the "Carpe Diem" spirit to the rest of my life as well. And now is a good time with job-hunting on the horizon. I will not stop taking risks "at my age".
* Have faith in others. For this event, everything was about allowing others to contribute to the effort, trusting that they would, and putting my complete trust in the process. Every outcome, including my own personal safety, depended on others. This was the most valuable lesson of all. I needed to experience that.
So, thanks again. I'm off to get my first 'stay-down' meal, a big bowl of Cheerios. After that... who knows? It's a beautiful day and I'll be planning my next adventure.
Happy running,
Cher
Epilogue, "Run for the Wildlands"
Thank you all for your generous contributions, motivating messages, and for supporting Cal-IPC and it's critical work in protecting California's native plants and communities. See you soon!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Mile 70, "Run for the Wildlands"
This was a "bonk" phase due to lactic acid overload and upset stomach. Oceanside wind and my low voice in this video makes it difficult to decipher. Basically, I'm at the aid station, getting a leg massage and ice water leg bath. Thank God for ice water foot baths.
Mile 60, "Run for the Wildlands"
It's funny that all you can see is my headlamp hovering in the distance...
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Pain is Temporary....
"Pain is temporary, but pride is forever."
Acutally, after 100-miles, pain may very well be forever.
I guess we'll see, now won't we?
Acutally, after 100-miles, pain may very well be forever.
I guess we'll see, now won't we?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Five Days...
Well, here it is Sunday already. Five days til the "Big Day". The week before a long-distance race/run is always nerve-jangling, as you're "tapering" - loading up on carbs for fuel and not doing much running. The ojective is to be topped off with fuel, injury-free, and well-rested. But you begin to get 'antsy' because you're not really doing anything, aside from a very short run here and there.
All in all, I feel ready, proverbial butterflies notwithstanding, and am anxious to get it done. The weakest link in my training right now is actually the primary member of my support crew, who is more nervous than I about the prospects of something going hideously wrong. He's a level-headed EMT, what could possibly go wrong? Without a support crew, you're sunk, so I hope he gets over it, and quickly.
There was an article about the run in the August 21st edition of the Carmel Pine Cone, which seemed to focusing more on what I eat during a run of that length rather than on anything substantive, such as Cal-IPC and what it does for California's wildlands.
Pine Cone Article: http://www.pineconearchive.com/
I think that most people imagine 100-miles as a completely impossible task for a human being. And yet, if you know anything about ultra-running, there are 100 mile races all the time!
It's not impossible... and just goes to show that if you're singularly committed to achieving a goal, it can be done - with work, practice, focus, and determination.
Good ole' fashioned hard work and no short-cuts... what a novel idea!
Monday, August 17, 2009
First 70-miler...
On Sunday, August 9th, I completed my first 70-mile run. I started the run at 12:30 p.m. and ended at 11:30 p.m. I was only intending to go 50 miles, but I felt relatively good and with nothing pressing on the day's agenda, I went for it.
Well, I can tell you there is a huge difference between 50 and 70-miles. By mile 60, I felt drunk from the accumulation of lactic acid in my body and probably lack of glucose to my brain. My motor and cognitive reaction times were significantly slower, and I was more than a little concerned about driving the 15 miles from Monterey to my home in Carmel after the run.
At mile 65, I began to see Christmas trees in the road, likely an artifact of car tail lights, slow-motion vision, and lactic acid intoxication. But as one friend reminded me, at least the mirage was something familiar and friendly and not menancing like say...terradactyls!
When I finally made it back to the car, I felt dizzy, light-headed, and sick to my stomach and had the now all-too familiar acidic, sweet reflux of a peptic ulcer. I braced myself for the worst, but fortunately, nothing happened.
Despite eating along the run, I was so hungry that I proceeded directly to the first (and only, at that hour) source of food - McDonalds. Disclaimer: I do NOT eat fast food and was probably a teenager last time I frequented McDonalds. I ordered a medium fries, and had about 10 before heaving all of it up, as if I needed a reason to avoid McDonalds for another 25 years!
When I arrived home, I was too exhausted to even shower. Fortunately, I sleep alone and even my cat was disgusted. I fell asleep in a nanosecond. Surprisingly, with the exception of a (still) very upset stomach and urge to nap every 4 hours, I felt fine the next day. Very little leg pain, no blisters, or blackened toenails.
I think back and it wasn't that bad, overall. "The Wall" came at mile 60. After that, I literally checked my brain out and just went on autopilot, like sleepwalking. At the end point, I would still have the equivalent of a 50K run left for the "real" run. Can I do it? You bet! I ran this alone, with no support crew. Were they present, I likely would've finished in a much better state.
August 27, 2009: 100-miles... BRING IT!
Happy running.
Cher
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