Finger Lakes Fifties, Part 2

Run: 31 miles in approximately 5:31:43 min. @ 6:30 a.m.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 65°F, 70% Humidity, Wind: SW @ 10 mph; feels like 65°F.
Pace: Loop 1--9:39 min./mi, Loop 2--13:31 min./mi
Course(s): 50K (two loops) on forest trails, roads & pastures in the Finger Lakes National Forest, Hector, NY.
Official Results: Available Here.

Continuing my thoughts/reflections on this past weekend's run... As mentioned in the previous post, the first loop went very well primarily (I think) because the other runner whom I trailed maintained a pace that pushed me but that also allowed me a level of comfort. (It's always a difficult decision to "trail" or pace off of another runner especially as I think it distracts or throws some people of their own game. As is usually the case, shorty after following the individual for about a half mile, I'll strike up a conversation--something that rarely happens in 5-10ks--and get their "permission.")


As you can see from the pic above, I would often check my proximity to the person so as not to be overbearing. Once I realized I could hang with him, it made it easier to briefly slow down at aid stations or to use the potty, comfortable with the fact that at certain points (downhills for me) I would be able to make up the lost ground and continue the pace.

Following the first cow pasture in loop 2, the athlete whom I had been pacing lost me ("You go ahead--I'm slowing down"), and with this came a slight sense of defeat. While I was still moving at a fair pace by myself, I had to recognize that I would definitely lose more ground than could be made up, especially as the mud pits became denser and deeper. It was at this point that I thought briefly about "how can I get out of this," but persevered ahead deciding to test my ability to stay the course and follow the flashes and signs to the finish.


My waning energy needed to be addressed. Previously, I had used the aid stations to load up on the electrolyte replenishment drink (Heed) and water. At the second to last aid station, I changed strategy and downed both 2 cups of a generic cola and two red Twizzlers. The rush of sugar and caffeine reinvigorated me and gave me the "whatever" to focus through to the next (last) aid station.

Early in the day Daryl (the fellow I'd been pacing-off earlier had told me that his strategy was "walk by your own choice early and often, so when you need to walk, it is your choice." I took his advice ver seriously and found the key moments (inclines without mud) to preserve my energy and "power hike."

There I repeated the Cola/Twizzler combo and pushed on through to the final half-mile of the race, most of which was uphill and through thick, gooey mud, which by this point had come to resemble (very) watered down clay pools. (How I did not lose a shoe during the race is a credit to the sheinking value of water!)

I was very ecited to finsih (relatievly) strong and with a grimace smile on my face and mostly becuase I had accomplished (finsh, smiel, stay on path) what we had set out to do and that my wife was waiting at the finsih for me.

Breathe in, breathe out… YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!