This is why I hang out with runners

 Things heard from Acadiana runners in 2012 - 2013:

"Boy it's hot.  (August in Louisiana) It would really suck to loop Chicot (20 miles through the woods) 

right now.  Who's in?"

"Run a marathon?  26.2 miles on PAVEMENT!?!?  That sounds very painful.  I'd like to try that."

Fawn Hernandez and Stephanie Fournet before their first marathon -
Rock n Roll New Orleans 2013  

Eric Gravish in his first marathon -
Mercedes Benz Marathon 2013

"Run MORE THAN 26.2 miles?  Huh."

Christina Gravish running her first ultra!!  100k (62 miles) at
Cajun Coyote in December 2012.

    

Bobbi Parker and Denise Kidder at their first
50 miler in February 2012.

  

John Robideaux  at his first 50k (31 miles) with
 Tim Gill in November 2012.

Liz Wooster at her first 50 miler
with Christina Gravish  in February 2013. 

     

Jessica Amy running her first 100 miler
 in Feb. 2013.

The Schoolmaster at his first 50k.

Bobbi Parker before the start of her first 100 miler,
with Brad Delcambre and me.

Run from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on the levee?  Sounds horrible. 

All three Lafayette Rouge Orleans 6 Person Relay Teams!
Now that is a high concentration of awesomeness right there!

          

          

More Rouge Orleans pix - from relay exchanges to the scene inside the mothership.

What do all of these pictures have in common?  Happy people.  Why are they smiling?  Because they know a secret.  They know how amazing it feels to achieve something that no one else can take credit for.  They know that all of their hard work and effort has led to the creation of some amazing memories.  Because they risked failure, and put themselves out there, they have gained a quiet confidence and a deeper understanding of themselves and their capabilities.  Everyone in these pictures has learned that their acceptance of some level of discomfort and struggle in their lives continues to make them better people.

How many people get to experience something like this:

Full Moon Trail Race, August 2012, Fountainebleu State Park
5 miles through the woods at night.  Good times.

Julie Carlson enjoying her 1st place age group
finish at Cherokee Chase.

Tara Breaux not enjoying herself at
Cherokee Chase.

                                     

Bobbi Parker and Denise Kidder at the Bandera 50k in January 2012.

And how often do you have people cheering for YOU??  

  

Karin waiting for Steph and Fawn at the Rock n  Roll Marathon.

Here's hoping that YOU are in one of these pictures soon!!

But it's just a half marathon!!!

No - I would never actually say that.  Prior to Sunday's Gulf Coast Half Marathon, I had vivid memories of my first half marathon in 2007 (I think) in Nashville.  I had trained with Team in Training, and raised over $4000 for cancer research to earn my spot on the Team.  I had done the work, and I was ready to run.  And run I did.  For 13.1 miles.  It took me 2 hours and 18 minutes to finish, and  by the time I got to the last few miles, I thought I was going to die.

I was very much an infant runner at the time, and I made very bad choices.  Like believing that if 1 or 2 Gu's were good, then surely 4 would be better.  I mean, why would they hand them out on the course if you weren't supposed to use them, right?? So I  spent a large portion of the next couple of days in or near a bathroom, convinced I had poisoned myself.

So, to answer your question before it is asked - No, I did not take this race lightly.  Just because my preferred distances are 50 and 100 milers, I still respect 13.1 and 26.2.  My flaw for this race was not taking into consideration a couple of factors:  First - it was going to be very humid and HOT.  I think it was 70 degrees before we even left the hotel room at 5:45 a.m. on race day. The weather had been cooler in the week leading up to the race, and I didn't bother to really pay attention to the forecast and I didn't pre-hydrate like I usually do for my races.  Second - I was not just running 13.1 miles - I was RACING 13.1 miles.  I had a goal to come in under 2 hours.  My previous PR for a half was 2:08, I think??  It had been YEARS since I tried for time in a half marathon, so I really didn't prepare my body the way I should have.

So, race morning we head down to the race site - Fontainebleu State Park, Mandeville, Louisiana. I had run one race here earlier this year a Q50 Full Moon Trail Race, so I remembered just how beautiful this park is with its lake views and moss filled oak trees.  The only sticky part about this race is the traffic.  This is a fairly small race - about 2,000 people - but the park where the Start/Finish and festivities are has only one two-lane road entering it.  So, even with a fairly small number of runners, the traffic can back up on the park road as people attempt to find a parking space.  This was a pretty small inconvenience though, since everyone was able to park without issue - it just took a little while.

Acadiana runners ready to do their thing!!

The race started without a hitch, and from the beginning it was awesome!  There was never a time when the course was congested.  With this being a small-ish race, and with wide roads and paths, there was never a traffic jam.  The course itself was beautiful.  We ran through some quaint Mandeville neighborhoods (and past the race sponsor, Varsity Sports), and along the lake.  But with it already being warm and humid, when we reached the lake front at about mile 5, it felt like the temperature jumped 20 degrees.  Once we turned back into a neighborhood and were revisited by the breeze, it was better.  Still hotter than I would have liked, but better.

There were plenty of water stops along the course - probably more than necessary, but in this case it is ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry.  The aid stations were very lively, too...

These lovely folks gave up their free time on a Sunday to
hand water to a bunch of hot, stinky runners.

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to PR and I really enjoy running races, so I probably pushed my pace a little more than I should have early on, but it was a nice morning, I was surrounded by friends, and a small part of my brain knew that even if I blew up at 9 miles I could suck it up and make myself run the last 4 miles.  This is where experience and confidence in my capabilities is a bonus.  I wasn't terribly worried about bonking, since many of my weekday runs are now 10 plus miles, so the distance is not intimidating to me like it once was.  I would just prefer to not puke when I cross the finish line (more on that later - but that is one reason I wouldn't choose to volunteer at the finish line of any race).

So I ran.  I ran with different friends at different times during the race, but as most of my running buddies understand, on race day its every runner for herself (or himself). As for nutrition,  I did my usual 1/2 Gu at mile 6 or so, and the second 1/2 at mile 10 - a far cry from the 4 Gu's I did for my first half.  Once I got to mile 11, I started to regret the second half of that Gu.  Remember, it was HOT and I was pushing my pace, so my GI system was a little testy.  My mantra for the last couple of miles was "Don't puke til you cross the finish line".  I said this over and over to myself.  As I was approaching the finish chute, I saw the clock - 1:56!  Yay!!!  I would PR!  At least that was what I would have been thinking if I wasn't still telling myself "Don't puke til you cross the finish line".

And cross the finish line I did.  I received my medal (a beer bottle opener with Gulf Coast Half Marathon on it - genius!) from a very sweet and very brave lady, then I went to the side of the chute and finally got rid of that damn 1/2 of a Gu that had been threatening to make an appearance for the last two miles.  Once that was gone, I felt mostly better.  My body felt like I had spent the morning being interrogated by the mafia, but it was over.  I had PRed at a second distance for the season. I don't know if you guys remember my Big Butts Race Review where I broke the 7 hour mark in a 50k for a personal best at that distance. So far this season is going well.  Lots of HOT summer runs are paying off.  Now if I can hold it together for Cactus Rose in a week and a half (YIKES!!).  

After all of that, what was the best part of this experience?  Sharing it with friends. 

Erin, Danette, Me, Liz, Christina, Emma

Eric, Laurin, Phillip, Randy, Bob, Dustin

The only people outside of college students who appreciate a good vomit story.

and Leslie!!

And Sandi :)

Until next time,

HAPPY RUNNING, Y'ALL!!

Edie

Lots of Loopers!

Six names were added to the short list of crazy running-type people who have run the whole 20+ mile loop of Chicot State Park on Sunday, August 26th.  Here's the whole group:

From left: (standing) Tim and Karin Gill, Lonny Gaspard, Eric Gravish, Randy Aymond,
Me, Emma Valentine, Christina Gravish, Jason LeBlanc
(kneeling) Sandi Hernandez, Tara Greer, Kristi Mire

Three of this group had done the whole loop (20+ miles) the day before, but came out to grab a little more trail with us on Sunday - it's a sickness, folks. :)  Lonny, Randy, Emma, Jason, Colin and Sandi would all be looping for the first time.  They had all done trail runs of shorter distances in preparation, but this was the big day.  No out and backs for them, it was all or nothing.  Okay - that makes it sound a little more dramatic than it was, but it is a really big deal when folks make the whole loop for the first time.  It is NOT an easy run, and when it is hot, it is REALLY tough.  But, holding firm to looper tradition, there were no wimps or whiners in the group.  

We set out at a reasonable pace (walking the uphills from the start), knowing that it was going to be a tough day without us starting it out by making bad decisions.  Everything went as planned.  When the group would spread out a bit, we would bunch up at set points, then take off again.  We saw a huge family of hogs, but luckily they had no interest in some very smelly runners.  Everyone carried their own stuff - for me it took about 80 oz of water, and 2 gels.  For others it may have been less water and more gels - everyone is different.  But, everyone who was out there had completed long distance runs before, so they had taken the time to figure out their formula.

Even when we split up, it was easy for us to hear Emma.  Every time she saw a big mile marker, a yell could be heard throughout the forest.  It made me laugh every time.  The last mile marker on the trail is at mile 19, so it is tradition to get pictures with first time loopers there.  Some folks were ahead of me, so I missed them, but here are a few:

Yep, she yelled for this one too.  And yes, that is a
tiara on top of her hat.  This was her birthday present to herself -
her first 20 mile run EVER, and it happened to be a
very tough run.  Great job, Emma!!!

Randy at 19.  

Sandi at 19.

There were quiet spots when no one was talking when you knew there was some suffering going on, but there was no complaining, and everyone maintained a positive attitude (this is more important than you realize out there).  I have said it before folks - say what you want about other sports, but trail running only attracts the toughest and most humble people.  Those that are lacking in these qualities never last.  They may come out and crush the loop one time to say they did it, but they will never be a regular on these trails, and they will never have the discipline and smarts that these folks did to gradually work themselves up to running 20+ trail miles.  

There is no fancy equipment to buy for this.  You can't go out and spend hundreds of dollars to get the latest shoes that might be a little lighter, or made from carbon, or more aerodynamic, to help you out.  There is basic gear that everyone has that is pretty much the same stuff.  The results of your efforts are BECAUSE of your efforts.  If you run faster one loop than you did for the previous one, it can not be attributed to the gear or fancy bells and whistles.  It is because of YOU.  It is your legs that carried you forward, and your heart that kept you from quitting.  That is why it is so satisfying to me to bring people out there and watch them do something that is completely out of their comfort zone.  That is where the good stuff is, folks.

I have been glowing all week, just thinking about how proud I am of Sandi, Emma, Lonny, Randy, Colin, and Jason.  There is something very empowering about conquering something this difficult.  It makes you start to wonder what else you might be able to accomplish that you never even considered trying before.  I can't wait to see where this leads.  All good, all good.

Randy finishing.  It is so damn good to see those
cars, and know there is cold beer in your near future!!

Sandi finishing.  Sandi has brought most of her family
out with us to either run or hike the trails.
She is definitely paying it forward.

Special thanks to Lonny for the ice cold fruit at the finish.  That was such a great surprise, and much appreciated.  And special thanks to Randy for having beer iced down for when we got off of the trails.  The best tasting beers are those after a hard effort.

So if you are wondering if trail running is for you - there is only one way to find out!  Try it!!  It should be cooling off soon, and the insects should be chilling out some, so if that is what has been holding you back - EXCUSE CANCELED. :)

Have a great holiday weekend, and Happy Running!

Edie

Training Update:  Solid 50 mile week last week.  Felt strong, and no issues.  Staying on top of my stretching and cleaning up my diet.  Hurricane derailed me a bit this week, but no worries.  Got in a 13 miler today, and while it sucked, it was yet another deposit into my running account.  Cactus Rose in late October is a BIG withdrawal  so I have to build up my accounts as much as possible before then.  Hill training starting in September.  Tower of Terror runs looming!!  I'll keep you posted in case any knuckleheads out there care to jump on board.

Business Update:  Well I continue to be ignored in my requests for the same monthly reports that I sent my "partners" every week while I was working at the store. I guess they think that if they ignore me long enough, I will just give up.  :)

Can't decide on the title for this race report. Either "Flat and Fast My Ass" or "What the Hell Was I Thinking?"

Well, I expected this to be a tough race, and I was right.  But, as always, there are lessons to be learned.  I drove into Clinton, Mississippi, on Friday afternoon, and arrived just in time for the packet pick-up.  Many of you may have been to the packet pickups for half and whole marathons, and they look something like this:

This is what I was used to before I started doing trail ultra marathons. In contrast, this was the packet pickup for the Big Butts 50k:

Notice anything different?

And this is the kind of stuff you could expect to find in a marathon packet:

And for Big Butts, this is what we found in the packets:

We run so that these will never fit.

Granted, we also got a really cool micro fiber sweat towel, and a tech t, but the ginormous undies were the highlight.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the reason I do all of this training is because I LOVE the race environment at trail ultras, and that was just re-confirmed at this race.  It started when I got to my hotel, which was about a mile from the race start, and was one of the two host hotels for the race.  Before I even got out of my car to check in, I could spot the ultra runners.  They are super fit, but slightly disheveled.  They carry themselves with a quiet confidence.  These are very talented athletes, minus any ego you may find in other extreme sports event.  You see more than your share of cargo shorts, sandals, and race t's.  There is also alot of handshaking and back slapping among the runners who recognize each other from other races they have done together. The ultra running community is small.  It is odd to go to any race near your home and not recognize people you have run alongside in the past.

In the last few days before the race, one of my trail running buddies and best friends, Christina Gravish, decided she would like to give it a shot.  She was definitely well trained for the race, it was just a matter of sweet talking the RD to let her in.  It didn't happen, but being the laid back guy that he is, and being that it is a public park, he said that although she could not officially participate, he gave her permission to bandit the race.  Yay!  I would have a buddy to suffer with!!

When we went to the race site for packet pickup, we noticed that there were NO park bathrooms.  There were also NO porta potties brought in for the race.  With this being a trail race, it wasn't like you could just duck into a McD's along the course either.  Can you say "One with nature"?  So, the idea of toweling off in the park bathroom sink was out the window.  Thankfully, my crew included Eric Gravish, King Supreme Take Care of Problems guy.  We went to Walmart and picked up string and a tarp, and I grabbed a few gallon jugs of water later that night. From this he fashioned our own private shower stall. Its good to have handy friends!!

Race morning was pretty laid back, as usual.  I got to see Lane and Erica from Pineville.  Lane is an excellent runner, but we both knew that this was going to be a tough one. Lane's pictures tell the story:

                

From the peak of fitness and health to on the verge of heat illness.  Everyone suffered in this race.

So, when it was about 8:00, we lined up at the start line - well, technically there wasn't a starting line.  The RD drew one in the dirt with his shoe and said. "Start here".  He gave us brief instructions about the course, and we were off.

There were runners doing the 50k (31 miles) and the 100k (62 miles).  There were a total of 80 runners on the course, 17 of which were attempting the 100k, which no one finished last year.  The course was a 6 mile loop, and after 5 loops for the 50k, there was a 1 mile out and back (on pavement - in the full sun - in the middle of the afternoon - after you had already suffered through 30 hot trail miles). The 100k'ers had 10 loops then a 2 mile out and back. Who says RD's aren't sadistic?  

The race started at almost 80 degrees and 96% humidity.  From the beginning, it was a struggle to keep my heart rate down.  We kept pretty even splits for every lap, with very little deterioration until the last lap when cramping and nausea set in.

The first 3 loops were a battle against the humidity.  We knew these would be tough, but the plan was to bank some time on these loops before it got hot.  (Get the sarcasm?  It was almost 80 degrees and 96% humidity at the start.  It was NEVER cool.  We were sweating standing at the "start line".) One of my fellow runners posted on the race site afterwards "The first 3 laps were like running in a sauna, the last 2 were like running in an oven".  Pretty much.

If fitness models were as tough as Christina,
this is what they would look like.

But, we stuck to the plan, and it worked out as well as it could.  Things didn't start to think about falling apart until the last lap.  This is where the cramps, side stitches and dry heaves started.  But, we knew what to do.  We backed off on the pace in the exposed areas, and tried to push it a reasonable amount in the shade.  We poured water over our heads and down our shirts.  We took salt, and drank lots of water.  And, WE MADE IT back to the start/finish for the 30 mile mark.  This is where Christina made the very wise decision to end her long run. She had been fighting nausea for the entire last loop, and since she wasn't an official participant, there was no official time for her and no post race schwag, so there was NO reason for her to do the 1 mile out and back on pavement and in the full sun at almost 3:00 in the afternoon.  She left that to the stupid people.  So, off I went.

This last mile SUCKED.  It was one of the longest miles I have ever run.  After 30 miles of steep climbs and descents and shoe-sucking, slippery mud,  hitting the pavement and feeling the heat radiate from the road while the sun beat the tar out of you from above was a special kind of torture.  On the 1/2 mile out, every turn was followed by disappointment when I didn't see the turn around sign.  All perspective of distance was gone.  When I finally saw the little white "TURN AROUND" sign, I had to laugh out loud.  There was no one anywhere near to see that you actually made it to the sign before you turned around.  In fact, there were no race officials on the out and back at all.  You could conceivably have rounded the first turn, sat down for a bit, then headed back in and no one would have known but you and God.  Guess that's all I needed to know to make me run just a few steps past the sign before heading back.

Before the race, my loose goal was to finish under 6:30.  When things went awry in the last lap, I amended that to sub 7:00.  When I reached the turn around, I looked at my watch and saw that I had about 12 minutes to spare before it hit the 7 hour mark.  I would be hard pressed not to make it a half of a mile in 12 minutes, so I slowed my pace some to avoid puking on my own shoes as I crossed the finish line.

And finish I did - in 6:53:30.  I was 6th overall female, 3rd in my age group, and 29th overall.  And what did I get for all that effort and pain?

What do you mean there's no margarita in it???

My favorite part - how the sun looks a little "off",
and the fact that "YOU FINISHED" is a big deal.

For this particular brand of stupidity, this is exactly what I would expect.  A mug to hold hot beverages.  The age group winners received jars of homemade pickles, and the winner of the 100k got a sweatshirt.  Not the kind of race that attracts medal collectors.  This is about memories and pride in the fact that you somehow survived to tell the tale.

31 miles in the heat and humidity of late July
in Mississippi over tough trails.
What's next?  Bring it on!!

So, it was into our makeshift shower stall (thanks again Eric!) to rinse off and drive home - about 4.5 hours.  A little longer when you have to stop to walk out cramps :).  Even as we were walking away from the finish line, Christina and I looked at each other and smiled and agreed that that was a horrible yet amazing experience that I am so glad we were able to share.  What a blessing to have friends that you can suffer with.  That is when you as a person are strengthened, and when your friendships are cemented.

Regardless of how tough the race was, quitting was never an option.  As I have said before, when it comes to these races, I make a plan and try to stick to it.  When that doesn't work out (it rarely does), I amend the plan, and try to stick to the new one.  This can happen many times during a race.  But, the plan NEVER includes giving myself the option to quit.  If I ever do DNF, it will be caused by injury or illness, not just from being tired of being tired.

So, there you have it folks.  My first and probably last time doing this race.  I say probably because I can be talked into a whole lot of stupidity by friends, so I can't rule it out.  But, stupidity shared makes for great memories!!

Happy Running!

Edie

Oh yeah - and if you are wondering if any of the 17 that signed up for the 100k finished it??  4 people did.  The winner of last years 50k, Sarah Woerner, won the 100k this year with a time of 10:49.  This was almost a two hour lead over the other 3 finishers (all men).  WooHoo!!  GO GIRL!!