I run for...50K.

It's official. I completed my first 50K!! The year of the comeback is (almost) complete. This was the biggest part of my comeback story this year - to train for and complete the very same race that was the beginning of the end for me last year. I finished in 10:38:12. My conservative goal was to finish in roughly 10 1/2 hours so I'm pretty proud of myself, even if it is slow. Just took a look at the race results and I just happened to be the ONLY Illinoisan to compete. The great majority of the people in the race were from North Carolina and I'm sure they are very familiar with the mountains and the trails. So overall, I can't complain. Here's the official race report.

Me & Hubby

The day started bright and early at 4:00am. I kept to my Keto diet that morning by taking in some MCT oil with my coffee and then eating a Quest bar for breakfast. My nutrition plan for the day was to stick to what I had been doing in training - almonds, reduced sugar craisins, and bacon jerky. I packed up all these goodies in the morning and as a safeguard I threw in one GU gel (Campfire S'mores flavor!! Yum!). I also packed plenty of Saltstick tabs to replenish electrolytes and filled my water bottle with Nuun. After packing my supplies and getting ready, I used the rest of my time to chill out. I read some pages out of my book "Born to Run" and then repeated my mental block busters to myself. About 5:30am my personal support team, comprised of my son and my husband, woke up and within 30 minutes we made the drive to the race start.

Me & my son

The race begins at the Steele Creek Campground, which is about a 30 minute drive from downtown Morganton. There were lots of runners that slept in tents at the campground the night before. Maybe one day I'll be that hard core. Since we got to Morganton late on Friday night, I had to do packet pickup before the race. I walked over and got my race bib and t-shirt. One last trip to the potty and then I was ready to go. I stood by the start line with my son and husband and I was in great spirits! Not too nervous at all. One woman came up to me and shared her concerns that I she had packed too much. She had on an unusual hydration pack that was obviously full of supplies and had collapsible poles attached. We chatted briefly about doing the race last year and she shared with me that she had just run the Boston Marathon this year. Wow! She told me she'd see me around and well, I knew I probably wouldn't be seeing her again. If she ran Boston, she'd definitely be too fast for me to keep up.

I made it to the start line. The race director made his announcements and we started promptly at 7:00am to the sound of banjo music. Just one of those things that makes me love this race so much. I knew from last year that the first 5 miles were where I needed to make up some time if I wanted to start off on the right foot. I started out faster than I typically would and stayed pretty well within the middle of the pack. The first mile is completely flat but you are running through a giant field (that will also be the last mile of the race). After that you hit the first section of single track trails. This section slowed me down some because runners were lined up one by one trying to make it through. After this section of single track, you cross another big pasture and on to some rolling hills. These hills are very similar to most of the hills I run during training so again, this is where I knew I could push myself a little harder. Up and down on soft grass laden trails with the sound of creeks nearby. This part is SO enjoyable. First aid station comes in at mile 4.8. I made it there with an average of about 15min/mile (my aggressive goal). It was a hot day so I filled up my bottle and away I went.

After aid station #1, I knew what was ahead. This was the part that got me last year. Lots of single track trails, lots of creek crossings, lots of switchbacks up the mountain. I stayed in a positive mood the whole time and kept thinking of getting farther than I did last year. The switchbacks were still a challenge for me this year but I did not let myself stop. I powered through the pain and the fatigue and just kept climbing. Shortly after I finished with the switchbacks, I made my way up to aid station #2 on the gravel access road. This is again where I knew I could push myself a little harder because at the end of it was aid station #2 and my first cutoff time. Aid station #2 comes in at mile 10.2 and you must make it there by 11am - that's 4 hours from the start time. Last year I barely made the cutoff and this was a big factor in my decision to drop to the 30K. This year I made it to the aid station with an hour to spare! And to top it off I was feeling great! I filled up my bottle once more and took some time to rest before heading out on the next part. The guy at the aid station gave me some great advice on using my time on the gravel access road wisely. He forewarned me about the climb to Table Rock and wanted me to make sure I made the cutoff.

There's Table Rock in the distance. How much farther?!

On to Part 2. To make the 50K distance (and the elevation gain) more manageable, I broke the race into 3 parts. The first part was everything I did last year up to aid station #2. Part 2 was the meat of the race. 10.2 mile aid station to the Table Rock summit and to the last aid station cutoff. This is what I was most worried about. As I made my way from aid station #2 to aid station #3 at mile 16.5, the very slightest bit of doubt started to set in. Thankfully I was at the back of the pack with some amazing runners. Every so often I would pass someone or someone would pass me and I would hear "Good job" or "Looking good. Keep it up." or "You got this." So, so wonderful to know that there is a sense of "we're all in this together" when you're running one of the hardest races around. The trek to mile 16.5 was not an easy one. I tried, like the guy at aid station #2 said, to use the gravel access road to my advantage but it was steady uphill for at least 4 miles. I got to aid station #3 though and filled up my bottle once more. So far I had only eaten some bacon jerky and about half of my almond/craisins mix but I was still feeling satiated and had not experienced a bonk yet. Still feeling good I made my way to the summit of Table Rock.

This next section was nothing but single track trail and it was ALL. UP. HILL. Every single bit of it. I began to panic for the first time in the race because I was having a hard time remembering whether the next cutoff time was 1:00pm or 2:00pm. About 30 minutes before I reached aid station #3, I had texted my husband to ask him and he gave me his reply: "Looks like 1:00pm". Time to push. I really didn't think I was going to make it to the summit before then. My husband also tells me that aid station #4 is the summit but that didn't sound right to me either. Then he tells me that the summit is at 19.3 miles but I was pretty sure it was around mile 17 or 18. AHHH! What was happening?! I tried not to think about the time too much and just kept pushing. The uplifting part about this section up to Table Rock is that you also pass all the people who've already reached it and are on their way down the mountain. Everyone was SO encouraging. Once again I was flooded with these cheers: "Looking great", "Good job", "This is the hardest part. I swear.", "You're 15 minutes from the top. You got this." I even saw that lady from the start of the race when I didn't think I was going to see her at all! I stayed positive and repeated my mantras to myself. At one point, the most I felt like I could do was climb for 30 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Climb for 30, rest for 10. I did this for what seemed like forever but it was really only like a mile. Once I reached the rocky portion of the Table Rock Summit, I felt such great relief. It leveled off some and became easier to climb but then....I would turn a corner and there was another section to climb. Then another corner, another section to climb. How is this possible?! How can I still be climbing?! I looked down at my watch. Big mistake. 12:54pm. If the cutoff was truly at 1:00pm, I would not make it. How could I bring myself to say "I reached the summit" but then have to drop due to not making the cutoff time?

Almost there...but not quite

As I neared the summit, I saw a familiar face from the back of the pack. She cheered me on as I came up to join her next to the photographer. The photographer took my picture and then it was up a few more steps to get my race bib marked. I thought it was weird that they would go through all that hassle if I was going to end up dropping the race. So I asked the lady in front of me, "Do you by chance know when the next cutoff time is?" She said, "Oh we have plenty of time honey. We have a good 48 minutes or so." Wait, what? The cutoff time was actually 2:00pm!! Hooray! About that time we made it to aid station #4 with about 45 minutes to spare. Hallelujah! Everyone at this aid station was so relieved. It was the last cutoff we would have to make before the end of the race. I took quite a bit of time to rest at aid station #4 because I just wasn't feeling right. When I sat down I started feeling lightheaded and ended up lying on the ground with my feet up on a cooler. I stayed horizontal for awhile before I got up to fill my bottle again. I attempted to eat a PB&J but that just made me sicker. I decided to just push through the feeling. The section right after aid station #4 was another short jaunt uphill before taking the plunge down the gruesome trails you just climbed.

The view from the top!

Finally!

Back down I go...

You would think after 17-18 miles of running mostly uphill that you would welcome the chance to go downhill, to give yourself a little "break". Nope. Not the case. In fact, after running uphill for 17-18 miles it is the hardest thing ever to try to control your legs to run downhill and OUCH does it hurt. There's a tendency to want to let yourself go and especially make up the time that you spent climbing uphill but there's just no way it can be done safely unless you are very, very skilled at running downhills and do this for a living. And I am not that person. Haha. I think I went downhill just as slow as I went uphill. Eventually I made it back to aid station #3, which was also aid station #5. All I needed was to fill up my bottle and I was off again.

Part 3 of the race...the last 10 miles. I had about 4 1/2 hours to do it. I totally got this. For the first time all day, I felt the need to crank up my music and not because I needed the motivation, but because I was ready to celebrate this accomplishment. For the most part, the trails the rest of the way down were easy compared to all the rest. I covered some new territory but eventually got back to the same section of gravel road and single track that we ran on the way up. I felt the urge to take in some GU right before aid station #6 and I'm glad I did. It was just the kick in calories and carbs that I needed to make it the rest of the way. At aid station #6 I switched over to filling my bottle with Gatorade for the extra calories and off I went to the last 4.8 miles of the race. Right here and now I was in uncharted territory. I had never ran this far before. Would I feel any different?

1 mile to go. 1 happy girl.

I absolutely felt different in the most wonderful way possible. It's not really something I can even explain. Yes, my legs were hurting. My feet were DEFINITELY hurting. I couldn't be certain but I was pretty sure that my feet were bleeding or had blisters on them. My back hurt. Even my arms hurt. But I soldiered on. I walked when I had to but I pushed myself to run as much as I could. The nice rolling hills from the first 4.8 miles were a comforting sight. The air was cooling. Finishing this race was becoming a reality. Last section of single track. Boom. Last mile through the pasture. Boom. I crossed the bridge and turned towards the finish line. There was my son waiting and cheering me on. A group of runners sat at a picnic table cheering me in as well. I saw my husband as I closed in on the finish. The race director stood at the finish giving me a high five as I made my way across. My prize? A gray 50K hoodie that I will cherish for a lifetime. This feeling. This feeling right then and there...is priceless. It's this crazy, undeniable thirst and desire for more and more adventure and more and more life. There will be more races like this in my future. There will be a 50 miler and a 100 miler. As long as I continue to have blood in my veins and air in my lungs, I will continue to push myself beyond my limits to see how far I can truly go.

That's it! After the race we spent the evening in Charlotte, NC. I got my pizza and chips as my reward meal. I definitely had some nasty toe injuries...one black toenail and a gnarly blood blister on another. It's day 4 post-race and I don't have any more soreness. Finally feeling back to normal again. Now I'm settling into a post-taper run routine. I'll be training soon in the hopes of gaining another PR at my 5K race in October. That's really all that's on the race agenda for the rest of year but you never know!

I run for...the mountains

Less than 24 hours before race day. I'm a mix of nerves and excitement. Last year's performance is constantly in the back of my mind. There's an obvious fear that I won't finish the like last year, that the elevation will prove to be too much. On the other side of that fear is knowing that I was able to run 20+ miles of the same course and roughly 4000ft of the total 5700ft of elevation gain. Last year being able to complete the 35K left my dignity in tact so that I could avoid the dreaded DNF and it was definitely the most difficult run I've ever finished in my life. This year I know better. I know the course. I know the climbs. I know when to step on the gas and when to pump on the brakes. I've trained for this.

Elevation Profile - Last year I made it to the 10mi turn around

The 50K course map

My plan going into training this year was to get some more trail experience and do more overall that would make me a better runner. In comparison to last year, I've definitely made an improvement. In addition to the endurance aspect of training, I focused on what would help me with the elevation - trails, stairs, and hill repeats. I also did more core work and cross training this year. Lastly, some jump rope to help with my foot strike and coordination. I don't want another fall like last year! Although, it could have been a lot worse.

24 hours before race day this is what I'm focusing on: hydration, nutrition, and mental training. As far as running goes, I know I've done all that I can do. I've been tapering my mileage for the last 3 weeks so my primary goal has been to be the best me I can be at the starting line. Hydration and nutrition is simple for me. Now that I've transitioned to a LFHC diet like Keto, I'm honestly not as worried about bonking out on the course but I am increasing my salt intake quite a bit. My hydration strategy has pretty much been the same for the last 5 years. I drink to thirst and make sure I alternate between electrolyte drinks and water. It's going to be hot day on race day so although there are plenty of aid stations, I plan on bringing both my hydration belt and my handheld with me on the course.

Mental training part 1: Every year this means something different to me. This year it's more important than ever. I've reviewed last year's race over and over again. I know that in the moment deciding to drop to the 35K was the best decision for me but I cannot shake the feeling that mentally, I could have been better prepared. I big reason for last year's failure had to do with not understanding the course or the elevation and have lofty goals for myself. Once I realized I could not run my 10-11min miles, I immediately got discouraged. This year I'm more realistic. I have three goals: a conservative one, an aggressive one, and one somewhere in the middle of those two.

#1 (conservative) - Pace: 20min/mi     Overall finish time: 10.5 hours   

#2 - Pace: 17min/mi     Overall finish time: about 9 hours    Projected finish time: 3:56pm

#3 (aggressive) - Pace: 15min/mi     Overall finish time: about 8 hours

Mental training part 2: As I'm writing this, I'm currently listening to my Ultra/Mountain playlist.A mix of motivational songs and mountain songs to keep me focused on the task at hand. I don't plan on listening to music on the race course but will listen to it all the way leading up to the race. It will also be ready to go on the course if needed for an extra boost. This year's theme song - Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons.

I was born to run, I was born for this

Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up

Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes

Mental training part 3: I've come up with some mental block "busters" to help motivate me during the race. Typically I will come up with a mantra or two each year but this year I've created a whole list. I need all the motivation I can get.

1. One foot in front of the other. 1, 2 (this has a nice cadence to it and I've used it during training runs)

2. I love doing this (sometimes I need convincing)

3. My legs don't hurt 

4. I can breathe. My lungs are open.

5. I did 21 miles of this course last year.

6. I did 4000ft of the 5700ft of elevation gain last year

7. I run for those who can't (and I will keep those individuals in my mind throughout the race)

8. I run in remembrance of those I've lost (and I will think of them individually)

9. Pain is only temporary, the feeling of achievement lasts forever.

10. Keep going.

11. Run happy. Smile.

12. I have completed 4 marathons. I can do this.

13. I can eat whatever I want after this. (Carbs included!!)

14. Giving up is not an option.

15. The time is now.

16. Be fearless

17. You are tougher than you think you are

18. Think - easy, light, smooth & fast (from Born to Run) 

So that's it folks. Nothing left but to conquer that mountain. This has been quite a journey this year. Last year's failure. Being sidelined from running for at least 2 months. Surgery 6.5 months ago. A spring PR at the Illinois Marathon 10K. Signing up for Table Rock 50K again. Training on the trails and through the heat. All to hopefully be able to officially call myself an ultrarunner and on to my first 50 miler or 100 miler. 

Stay tuned for the race report to come in a couple days. Thanks for everyone's support!