Saturday, April 1, 2023

EAV

<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fron.clay.14%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02rFWthSmQxQk6Tc3khK6FbjUPHyc1k7EAfnDpQ2vzAskwQAtVn1BtQrur9ZcBThsUl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="301" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> 

Friday, June 19, 2015


  Running Log powered by RunningAHEAD
 

Tuesday, June 16, 2015


  Running Log powered by RunningAHEAD
 



  Running Log powered by RunningAHEAD
 



  Running Log powered by RunningAHEAD
 

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Pistol 100

I wake up at 3:20. Breakfast of oatmeal and a banana. I play around with the IPad taking
pictures. I load the van up and discover it is 7:15. The race starts at 8. 100 milers get to park
next to the starting line. All the spaces are full. I park on the backside of the school. 200 yards/
meters away. 7:50 I go back to the van to get some of my supplies to carry to the starting area. I
have 5 sets of cloths ( 10 long sleeve shirts and 5 pair tights.). Rain gear,hats,gloves and 10+ pair
socks. The plan is to have and not need Rather than need and not have.
Loop 1-- 8:00. The plan is 11 miles in 2:36. I run easy. The course is mostly flat on the front 3
miles. The next mile is a rolling incline. Nothing major. Reach Woody’s aid station about 3.5
miles. A 100 yards/ meters out there is a steep hill. It is only 10- 15 meters. This is a 1 mile out
and back to Woody's. There is a heated restroom. I manage a 2:20 loop.
Loop 2--- Everything is going according to plan. Mile 17 a blister starts up. I stop to check. Reach
a temporary aid station. I get tape to add to the duct tape I have on a toe. Did not tape far
enough down the toe. Ok,I am good now. Mile 19 the starts to hurt. I slow the pace. I mange a
perfect timed loop 2:36- 22 miles- 5:14 fro m start. I drop the rain vest and pants.Changed
socks. Too thick.
Loop 3- The sun is out it is getting warm. Reach Woody's feeling good. I have been taking in
fluid( not too much) and food. I pass it without stopping. I have fluids and food in my fanny
pack. Mile 37. 1 mile pass Woody's. I hit the wall. I have fluids but no food. It is in the vest
pockets at the start line. Not good. I walk- stagger- keep moving forward. Several minutes later
a see a guy with a cooler. I have passed by him before. I ask if he has anything sweet in the
cooler. He gives me a ¼ peanut butter sandwich and a cliff bar. I gobble it down as I keep
moving. The fog lifts two miles later. 2:47 Loop- 33 miles. Changed shoes. Too tight. My regular
Asics GT 2000. 10 miles on this pair. The pair a put on have 20 miles.
Loop 4- Running good. No issues. The sun is starting to set. Need to get back to pick up
headlight and pants. 2:48 loop.
Loop 5- The sun has set. It is about 8:00. The goal is 9:00 for 55 miles. Close to 30:00 behind
goal pace. Mile 50- I am running as fast as I can. I guy passes me walking. Check the watch. Pass
is 21:00. Ok, I need to walk and pace of him. We walk together. He(David Taylor) is have leg
cramps. We pace each other to go 17:00 miles. Finish the loop in 2:58. The started at 8:30.
Loop 6- I stopped to get food and make adjustments. David keeps going. I run to caught up. I
catch him after the 1st mile. The rain is steady. There are puddles. There is no going around. I
walk through and realize the water is ankle deep and ice cold. The under passes are flooded. I
step across the large stones instead of going in the ponds. This is an out and back. 3:30 loop. 66
miles.
Loop 7- Feet are soaking wet and blistering. I stop to wrap duct tape around my foot to cover
the blisters and bruising. Changed socks.The trail is in a flood plane.. Reach the under pass. It
looks to be knee deep in water. I do not want my knee brace to get soaked. Runners are now going up the embankment, climbing over the guardrail, crossing the street to other side. The
trail has lights. Some runners do not have headlights. The embankment is dark, muddy and
flooded in areas. This is mentally draining. It is close to 3 am. Realize I am not sleepy. I woke up
at 3:20. Walking in ice cold water every few miles is probably the key to staying awake. Sleep
depravation was my greatest fear. 70 mile mark at 2:30. Less than 50K to go. Cut off is 2PM. I
have 9.5 hours. It will be close. Did not caught back up to David in this loop. Reach the start/
finish aid station. Clock has 19:30:x x gone. I have 10.5 hours to do 24 miles. A gift from the
heavens. 2 extra hours. 2:30 am until 2 pm is 11.5 hours not 9.5 hours. Who can add at 70 miles
and 18.5 hours.Loop 3:15
Loop 8- I am walking alone now. Passing others and being passed. The goal is to keep moving
forward. Maintain a steady pace. The rains stop around 5. It starts to get light around 6:15 �.
The trail has drained. Under passes are unusable �. I get 1 mile from the start and a new
section has flooded. There is no going around �. Loop 3:40- 88 miles.
Loop 9- This is it . I just need to hang on. 6 hours to finish. Dry shoes and shoes. I get to the
water crossing and consider stay on the street. Conclude there is no way to get back on the
trail. Onward. It is slow going. Run out of water. The fountain in the park is on. I fill water bottle
1/3. Do not want the weight. Do the out and back at Woody's. Get food but no fluids. I forget to
refill bottle. It is close to 11. The sun is out. I drink the last water 2 miles form the aid station.
No problem. I am walking 22+ minute pace. Get to the aid station Cecilia Santos takes my
picture as I cross the timing mat. 2 miles to go. Most aid workers are gone. Ellen Comereaux
crew is gone. No one ask if I need something. Which has been the case on every loop. I forget to
refill. A mile out I am in trouble. I look for a fountain because this section is in a park. There is
noway I am getting water from the bathroom sink. Ok, slow the pace. Now I am at 24:00 pace.
If I fall the ambulance crew will resume me at mile 98.5. I will not get my buckle. Hell NO!
Barely moving but moving. Just as I exit the park with less than a mile to go. A water fountain.
Yes. It is not on. I trudge on. A guy passes me running. I do not give a sh-t. The finish line is on a
hill. I hit the mat. See the RD ask which direction to the last mile. The course is 11 miles x 9 loops
= 99 miles. He gives me the “what” look. Ask if I crossed the mat 9 times. My reply “yes”. He
tells me the course is. 11.12 miles. YES,YES,YES. I finished. Last loop 3:38. Last 2 miles about 46:00.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Yeti Snakebite 50M

Arrived 10 minutes before the start. The race had a no-disposal cup policy at the aid stations. Left my water bottle in the car. Had to run back to the car. I was in the farthest parking area. Started about 2 minutes late. No big deal in a race I was planning a 12:30 - 12:45 finish.

The 50-miler consists of 4 loops of 11 miles & 6-mile final loop. The aid station on the course was 5.91 miles out and loop back 5.09 miles. The plan runs each loop at 2:46:19.

Loop 1 - Two other runs with a late start. I follow them on to the course. The course goes < below 50 meters from my car. We pass the parking lots and go on to the trail at some point. The  2 other latecomers leave me in the dust. Now I am alone. I must focus on not missing the flags. I missed the briefing. Not sure which flags to follow. There are green, blue, and pink pokey dot flags. Luckily all are going the same way. I catch up to other runners. There is a 50K option. Forgot to put it on the HR monitor. Running by pace on a trail with no mile markers. Right! I reach the aid station 8 minutes behind. In and out in about 1 minute. On plan for the aid station. Finish the loop at 2:44:50. In the aid station for about 7 minutes. Not good. Pulled a snack bag of Ramen noodles and a frozen towel from the cooler.

Loop 2 - I leave the aid station. I miss the turn for the trail. Getting ready to turn around I spot 2 runners going onto the trail. Luckily it was a loop road. I start to pick off more runners.  I reach the aid station on time. Readjusted my time to the aid station to account for the 5 .9 mile instead of the 6-mile distance. I was not 10:00 behind on the 1st loop. It was 5.9 miles and not 5.5 miles.   The ice towel is placed over my head and under the visor. Volunteers mentioned runners were starting to feel the heat and humidity. I was fine with it. I did start having some chaffing along the top of the shorts. Blood pressure drops. I eat every drop of noodles out of the bag. Walk for 1.5 miles to recover. Take a
Success table. Down about 2 teaspoons of table salt. The second half of the loop takes you past the
lake. There are about 3 flights of steep steps and a 15-meter hill. The course is runnable and only
slightly technical. The hills are on the return loop and most are long inclines. Reach the start / finish aid station. Restroom, food, and water take about 7 minutes. Too long again.  5:00 behind. Pace off Tiana and Karen

Lop 3 - stayed in the aid station too long. 5 minutes. Left the station with Tiana and Karen. I did not
want to get lost again. Played leap frog with them at the aid station. Walking the hills, running the downhills, and running the flats when possible. We reach the lake section. Mainly flat, rocky but runnable. The goal is to stay close. I fall behind. The next goal is to keep them in the rear shot. I notice I do not hear them. Either they are not talking or I am really losing ground. I reach the steps and discover they are nowhere in sight. It takes nearly 4 minutes to cover the steps and hill. Less than 1/4 of a mile. I finish the lap at about 3:15. The goal is 2:46. With a 13:00 cut-off. I decide to run the 4 laps and
drop. My pace is now around 16 minutes.

Lap 4- I drop the hydration bag and leave the ice/ cold towel. Feeling confident. This will be a good last lap. I take my 20 oz handheld. The brain cell must have completely died. The clouds rolled in. It started to rain. I get my $1 poncho. The rain lasted for 5 minutes. The poncho comes off. I want to trash it but no littering on trails. I tuck it between the fanny pack. The sun is back out in all its glory and it has its friend humidity. This loop is more of a walk fest than a run. I am probably going to drop at 44 miles. I need 48 miles to make my week. Back to the steps. Starting to lose the sunlight. I get to the steps and yellow jackets are going into one of the steps. I stay to the far right. I am glad I will not come this way again. I make it back to the start-finish. Ready to call it a day. RD "you have time if you run". He tells me the directions for this loop. I say ok. As if I really understand. I don't. 11:40 since the start. I barely know my name.

Final lap- Six miles to go. I am guesstimating 13:05 finish at my present pace. I can do it. I'm fired up. 1st mile goes under 15. The trees are not dense. The light is good. The pace slows to run and walk. I reach the bridge.  Thinking it is a 5-mile loop. 2.5 miles to go. Realize it is a 6-mile loop. 3 miles to go. Losing light fast. Trees are dense in this section. My glasses are tinted. I take off my eyeglasses to see better. Maybe I can run some. I go 50 feet and fall. Eyeglasses are back on. Now it is all walking. $70 light at home on the table. I catch up to Di Shi who has come back to bring in a friend. Her friend has a headlight. She is having a harder time than I am. But, she was smart enough to bring a headlight. I left mine because the plan was a 12:30- 12:45 finish. 6:30-6:45. Sunset about 7:00. I make it back onto the blacktop just before it is completely dark. Hoping  I would not have to wait on The ladies behind me. The finish line shelter is on a hill. It is dark so no one sees me until I am within 20 yards. 13:29 finish for 50 miles but a DNF. Did not make the cut-off.  This was a training run. RD came up and told me the cut-off was 13:59:59. I made it. YES! Tiana and Karen finished at 12:56. They too were running for the 13:00 cut.

Side note: I could barely walk for  4 days. Did not run again for 6 days. Planning to take a week's vacation after Pistol 100. Win or lose.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Peachtree City 50K

50k 6:35:19. Knee buckled at 14.5 miles.
Great weather. 40F at the start. 68 at the finish. 5.18 loop course. Loops 1 &2 right on pace of 10:13. Discard vest at the start of 3nd loop. Feeling good. Forcing myself not to pick up the pace. Remembering 2 laps is only 10 of 31 miles. Course was gently rolling inclines. Knee starting twitching at mile 8 but on real problem. Mile 12.25 knee just buckled for a second. Some how I managed to pick the pace for the next two miles. Mile 14 the knee starting buckling on every decline . No matter how slight. 15 mile/ 3 loop in 2:41Tight lipped x. Down hill for that point. Telling myself at this point to not DNF. Not working. Club member Wanda T. came out to support me. She run mile 20-25 with me. We even hit a 12:50 mile at one point. Compared to 14:00 miles I was doing. Wanda had to leave for a Hawks game. She gave me a bagel and I decided to walk until a finished it or for about a mile. It was a long incline. 1 mile past the finish line I seriously considered turning around and DNFing(27 mile mark). The only thing stopping me was explaining to Wanda after running 5 miles with how I managed to not finish. Onward I trudged. The last 4 mile I mainly walked. Runners starting passing me at every mile. With about 1/2 mile to go and 1 last tunnel. I look up after exiting a tunnel and to my amazement I see the finish line. I have never been so happy in 20+ years of running to see a finish line.Big grin Tried to run but it was a no go. Walked the last 1/4mile in pure ecstasy. Plan to shadow box the medal and picture. This race will make getting a PR easy.Smile

Saturday, October 23, 2010