the adventures of wander woman

hawk marathon

i remember i said no excuses, so these are the facts. hard race. hard, hard day.

this course kicked my tail. steve had told me clinton lake was hard trails, and i believed him. but believing and experiencing are two entirely different animals.

i was ready. my stomach had been a little wonky that morning, but i have chronic stomach issues, i'm used to that. i was really tired and fatigued, but i only slept 4 hours so i figured 5 hour energy and gu chomps would wake me up. i'd be fine. pre race picture. i even look a little anxious.

and the first 6.85 miles, i was so confident and feeling good. at 6.85 i get to the first aid station. wait. let me back up.

at 2.5 miles in i got to see this sunrise from the top of saunders mound.

here i am, volunteer took my picture with the lake in the background. beautiful place.

the first 6.85 miles was uneventful, i was scooting along, keeping to a nice safe, but respectable pace. first aid station stopped long enough to fill up my camelback and headed out to ... well, much difficulty.

i didn't get far before i hit the rocks and limbs. i continually stubbed my feet and almost fell, but never actually did. which for me is success in itself. everytime i scrambled to keep my feet under my calves cramped. like fall down, grab them and scream in agony. i didn't, i just grabbed trees and hopped and stretched. but it slowed me down.

coleen had assured me personally that she marked the trail and if i followed the pink flags i would not get lost. i trust coleen, uber super ultra trail runner, so i wasn't too concerned until i hit this in front of me.

this behind me did in fact have the pink ribbon on the trail, so i plowed forward across these rocks.

bonus - this was the view to my left for about half a mile.

my entire focus was not killing myself on this portion of the trail. once i got beyond it i realized some things. my feet hurt. i had some hot spots on my arches from sliding around on the rocks and two toes on each foot hurt (always happens, my two middle toes are longer than my big toe. i'm a freak). this was expected, and i knew i could do 18 miles with these issues. but my metatarsals hurt. and my hip flexors hurt. and my calves were cramping even worse. this was too soon for this to be happening. but, i'm more adventurous and mentally strong than i am smart, so...

i am looking forward to mile 10.5 where i will get to see steve. looking at the garmin i pass 10 miles, 10.5 miles, 10.86 miles, and no aid station. this is mentally exhausting when i'm tired, thirsty, and just need a friendly face. i get there and my garmin shows 11.00 miles, which in trail running you can't count on your garmin to be exact or the measurements to be exact. but the marathon, 50 mile and 100 mile were all on the same 25 mile loop. the marathon did an extra 1.2 mile nature loop to start the race. so my disappointment was greatly reduced by: 1. seeing steve, 2. realizing i was at 11.7 miles and my garmin was behind, 3. a handful of tylenol, ibuprofen and salt pills, 4. and the knowledge that the next 2.5 miles was a grass prairie trail.

i saw steve again at 14 miles and then turned towards the finish line. ran two miles really well, but by this time i was so slow it didn't matter, and then at 16 miles i finally realized i might be sick. again with i'm more mentally tough than i am smart, i wanted the finisher medal. i walked the last 10 miles. well, basically. climbing up hills i managed a 26 minute mile pace. running flats, what few there were, i hit 16 minute mile pace. downhill i could hit a 14 minute mile pace. i will point out that i was working hard for these speeds too. i never took it easy. somedays your body just doesn't have it.

here i am finishing. i could've run, made it look good, but with my 20 minute mile average pace (this includes aid stations, picture and potty stops, lubing my feet stops, talking to chris at the downed tree for 5 minutes, etc, these are the only excuses i will make) i didn't see the point. (this time is for the 50/100 mile finishers, i wasn't THAT slow).

steve told danny that this is what defeat looks like - i was walking, dragging my empty camelback behind me. and i felt defeated.

here i am getting my medal. i earned this one.

i enjoyed the first 8 miles. i had several hours to feel inferior, slow, and just beat down. but the further i get from the race the more i realize that i am glad i finished, no matter how long it took, and didn't quit. i would run this one again.

i did burn 8,000 calories and couldn't make myself eat till after the race, and then it wasn't very much. still not hungry today, so tomorrow and tuesday i will probably eat like a bear.

highlights:
- i didn't get lost
- getting passed by adam as he went on to win first place in the 50 mile race with a blazing 7 hour 40 minute finish. he slowed down, high fived me and said "you look great! you are doing awesome." and was believable. superman's alter ego is not clark kent, it is a very handsome, fit, 20 something young man that lives in the kansas city area named adam dearing. true story.
- steve waiting for me at two aid stations, walking in with me at one, and being at the finish line.
- seeing nate for dinner friday night and him fixing dinner for me (dorito taco, i'd never had one) saturday after the race.
- coming home.