Green People 08 - First 50 Miler

1 tube of hydropel
2 Hot dogs, 2 PB & Honey Sandwiches
4 gallons of water, 1/2 case Clip2, 2 cans ensure, 3 tasty libations
3 pairs of shoes and socks
9 hours 41 minutes of running
50 miles
lots of love and support from family and friends

For those still reading after the "condensed" version. This Saturday was the annual Oklahoma Trail Runners Association - Green People trail event for climate awareness. This event hosted by the OTRA and directed by Katharine (soon to have a different last name) Cranwell is a special one for me. It's hard to believe just one year ago that this event was my first trail event and also my first time to run 16 miles. Fast forward a year, 1 marathon and 2 50k's later and I'm going for 40 or more miles.

I slept unusully well the night before an event even though I was down right scared of the next morning afraid I would repeat my performance at the Andy Payne marathon. I woke a bit earlier than planned at 3:30 and made it to lake Hefner in time to make an easy 2 miles before meeting my friend Reese.

Reese and I planned an easy 18-20 miles on the road before I left for the Green People event which started at 8:30. Did I mention it was still quite dark at 4:30 in the morning ? I had brought a headlamp but since I need to turn my cap around backwards to wear it and that is where my sunglasses were currently perched I decided to wrap the headband a few times around my water bottle. This actually worked quite well and might possibly decide the delima I have been having lately concerning nighttime lighting. IE - I like a lower light like a flashlight provides but hate running with one.

Back to the running - Reese and I took off towards Stars and Stripes park about 3 miles away and the site of one of the two icechests I had put out the night before. From there we decided to head toward Nichols Hills Plaza about 4 miles away to meet some friends from the Oklahoma City Running Club who were planning to start a 6:00 AM.

I was feeling good and probably running way to fast for a 40 mile day. Reese being a good friend and having already run a 50 miler mentioned that in a polite way a few times. When we reached the bottom of the hill that crests at the Nichols Hills police department we could just make out our Landrunner friends beginning to start their run. Unconsiously I started to speed up, then conciously started to really speed up in an effort to catch them. Once we did I realized I may pay for my indescreitions with pace by later in the day. A few minutes later after we had all said our good mornings I was still breathing a little too heavy this early in the day. For once I decided to do the smart thing and walk even though it meant being seperated from the pack. This was a much easier decision since Reese stuck beside me like a good friend so I wasn't truly alone. We ran on the marathon course a bit more and then returned to our waterstop in the middle of Nichols Hills. After refueling we pointed ourselves back towards Hefner and retraced our steps. At about mile 17 (for me) Reese and I split up as he wanted to get in a bit more distance before finishing his morning.

I ran back to the truck and began changing shoes and socks before heading to Bluff Creek for the trail portion of the day. About this time Reese speeded in and we joked about what it would be like trying to put on fresh Injinjis during a 100 mile run. Reese graciously offered to begin crewing right then and there but I told him I could still change my own socks after 19 miles but I'm sure I'd take him up on it someday after 70 or so miles. It's always good running with Reese. He's the kind of friend that lets "lets what's said in Vegas stay in Vegas" so we've had all sorts of taboo conversations (stereotypes, religion, politics, etc.)over many a mile. I remember thinking when he left how much I'd give to have him around for those final few miles which I knew would be tough.

After a quick change of shoes, a bottle of ensure, and reloading on clip2 I drove to Bluff Creek for the beginning of the Green People Trail Run.

I arrived at Bluff Creek to see a strong turnout for this years event. Checking in I bumped into my friend Larry who had come out to do a lap with me and check out the festivities. It was great to have him there and made the next two laps go smoothly while we caught up on old times. I also saw Chisolm D. there who had run from Norman to the start of the event! That's almost 40 miles just to get to the starting line. Chisolm is training for Badwater this year and looked to be in fine form.

After the first two laps with Larry I had made the marathon distance and stopped for an ensure and peanut butter and honey sandwich. I called home to let Leslie know the day was going great and to see how they were doing at White Water. All was well and Leslie encouraged me to "Do what you need to do" - this meant a lot and fueled me as much as the calories did.

Fast forward to the last mile of lap 4 which I was trying to run in hard to make it to the poker game. As I passed Beth and Peggy at the last ½ mile Beth mentioned I was crazy for running so far (and at least for that ½ mile hard). I let her know I was probably dropped on my head as a child. Her only comment was “repeatedly”. Green People is a poker run with 2 cards for each loop completed. I had gotten in 4 loops before the poker game and won an additional extra card for the dozen cookies I had brought. So I probably had a bit of an unfair advantage. I ended up winning a gift certificate to Backwoods and joked that it would probably all go to new socks as I'd probably wear out a few pairs before the day is through.

After the poker hand I took an extended break to indulge in some of the food and drink offered. I never thought you could run after several liters of fluid and a couple of hot dogs but it's amazing how quickly your body can put fuel to use after 35 miles.

At this point I began rethinking my plans. Originally I planned on forty miles with fifty as a stretch goal that I never SERIOUSLY considered. At this point in the day I started considering it. I had never run this long without cramping, bonking, having a seriously upset stomach or more likely all of the above. I remember thinking - when everything clicks take advantage of it. I made a call to my loved ones and it seemed like Leslie and Carson were having a great time at white water so I decided to go for it.

This next section of the day was the best - between miles 35 and 42 I was out on the trails by myself just enjoying life. I did lots of thinking through these miles and came away with an even greater appreciation for my family and life's blessings. I couldn't believe how things were still flowing. It’s probably good that the trails were pretty desolate at as somewhere around mile 40 I found myself singing a Big Boys song “Fun,Fun ,Fun” at the top of my longs and wondered how long I’d been singing. My only small concern at this point was that maybe I had taken a bit too much salt as I had been doubling up on S Caps. In fact I didn't take any more salt for the last two hours of the day and felt fine.

As I came through the trailhead at mile 42 it looked like the Greenpeople party was finally packing up. Keith (the pres. of the OTRA) said he would be out here for several more hours and to take all the time I wanted. At the time I was feeling a bit quilty like I was keeping Keith out here regardless of what he said and after 6 loops I was looped out on Bluff Creek.

I decided to drive a mile back to the North lake Hefner parking lot where it all began to finish the last eight miles on the road. I was still expecting to bonk hard at somepoint and easy access to water and a public place seemed like good ideas. I laced on my fathers day presnt, a pair of Pearl Izumi racing flats I'd yet to run in (how bad could it be for 8 miles right) and took off.

In the words of Red Spicer "I was passing trees and rocks like they were standing still". My feet hurt just a bit and I remmeber thinking maybe these shoes were a little too light. Then I remmebered I had been running for over 9 hours and maybe it wasn't entirely the shoes fault. It was about this time that I also discovered that one application of Hydropel to the inner thighs is good for about 43 miles.

By the time I got to Stars and Stipes park I was still about two miles short of 50 miles factoring in my return trip. I remember it seeming to take hours to do two miles on the side loops at this part of the course. I noticed a burning pain in my chest with every stride forward and concluded that the nip guards I had just put on would adhere much better without 45 miles of sweat and salt accumulation.

Finally I started my return voyage. All I had to do was make it to my truck and 50 miles was mine. I was running more than walking at this point and when I got to the Bahama Breeze parking lot I knew I had 1 mile to go. No way I was not going to finish strong. I ran all of the last mile at a 9:15 pace which trust me feels like 6 minute miles when you've had a forty nine mile warmup.

As I crested a small rise to the parking lot there was Keith cheering me in. I have never been more happy to see a familiar face in my life. I mean it REALLY meant a lot to me. Keith had stealthily followed me to Lake Hefner and waited close to two hours for me to finish my final eight miles. If this wasn't enough he had an ice chest with cold drinks waiting.

We stood and shot the breeze for a few minutes as it dawned on me I was done and had really run 50 miles. The sense of acomplishment was very fulfilling. Then it was time for home where a much needed shower and then ice bath awaited...