Happy sigh! Where to even start with this adventure? Here we go…
Hungryland Slough is an hour from my house, so I could sleep in my own bed and drive to the race in the morning. I got there and set up in “base camp.” This was a timed race, with people running as many, or as few, 14.3 mile loops as they wanted. There were people running one loop, and people going for 100 miles. The 100 milers had some elaborate setups:
Here was mine:
The race started at 7:30, and it was 57 degrees! I started out with a light jacket, which came off after a few miles. But the cool air felt amazing. This race was all on trails of various quality, some very smooth and runnable, some deeply rutted sections, and some- shudder- SAND. But after the sand I encountered at Skunk Ape last year, this was nothing.
Right around 5 miles or so, a man ran up to me and said “I already have diarrhea!” Um… okay! I told him I had Imodium, and that he was welcome to have some if he needed it when we got back to the start. He said “No, I should be fine- I just smoked a joint and that always makes me go to the bathroom.” Okay well- interesting strategy.
His name was Ralph, and we ran the rest of that first loop together. Ralph was a wildly optimistic person. When I told him my goal was 60 miles, he said “Oh no- you can definitely do 100.” When I told him my fueling strategy, he said I should be taking beet juice shots instead. Later on when I told him I was thinking of moving away from Florida, he told me I should move to Spain.
At the end of that loop, I was getting a little tired of Ralph. Listen buddy- I am NOT running 100 miles today, drinking beet juice, or moving to Spain! On his part, he felt that my pace was too “aggressive” and started to fall back (well yes, because I was “only” doing 60 miles and he was doing 100 and had to conserve energy- although of course in his mind I was also doing 100 miles).
It seems that I always make a friend at these things, and Ralph was the friend for this event, and although I didn’t see him after that first loop, I saw his gear after every loop. He moved it under my canopy, as he didn’t have his own. His company made that first loop pass quickly, and I was feeling good.
As I headed out for the second loop, I put in my headphones and listened to some podcasts, including this one by Sally McRae, mental tools to use when a race gets tough.. This loop got a little harder because it was warming up- but I still felt pretty good as I got back to base camp. And, my husband was there! He couldn’t spend the whole day there, but arrived to cheer me on after loop 2.
My strategy before loop 3 was to drink a Monster energy, and turn on music (my playlist which started with the Beatles Birthday song, obviously). I started off feeling good and then… this loop got hard. It was the hottest loop. LUCKILY, it only got up to 80 degrees and the humidity wasn’t bad. But there was no shade at all on this course. I was also getting mentally fatigued, and it was hard to think that I had to do the entire thing again. Ouch.
I got back to base camp, and had run 42.9 miles at that point. Here’s where things started to fall apart. I was nauseous, and none of my fuel seemed appetizing. I tried to drink another Monster but I couldn’t get it down. Luckily I had ginger ale! I poured some into a reusable cup (that I could squash up and put in my bag) and started walking the fourth loop.
This had been my plan from the start- I knew it would be hard to start that fourth loop, and I decided ahead of time that I would not sit and rest, but instead grab whatever fuel I could and just start moving forward.
As I walked along, the ginger ale sloshed around in my stomach and I felt… horrible. My legs ached, I had no energy, and as I said, I was nauseous. I thought “What if I have to walk this ENTIRE LOOP?” GAH. It would take forever. Then I remembered I had these…
They saved me! I ate a couple of them and my stomach felt better. I was able to sip water, take a salt pill, and then I decided to try running again. I started with 30 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking (anyone can do that… right???) I gradually increased the running intervals until I was, incredibly, trotting along happily again.
At this point the sun was setting…
And then it was dark. Now I was all alone- sometimes I could see headlamps far ahead of me, or behind me, but I felt mostly alone and it was kind of scary. I was worried I would get lost, but every once in a while I would see one of these to let me know I was still on course:
After a while, I got used to running in the dark and realized I felt REALLY GOOD. It’s the biggest comeback I’ve ever experienced. I’ve had runs where I felt crappy and then felt a little less crappy, but this was a complete turnaround. The dark wasn’t scary anymore- it was cool and peaceful. My legs felt good and my stomach had recovered. I was so, so grateful to be running! It was one of the high points of the race.
Here was where I implemented a piece of Ralph’s advice (finally! Something helpful from Ralph!) He said that on my last loop I should do “whatever the hell I wanted.” Yep! I took that seriously, and walked whenever there was rough terrain or sand (as a matter of fact, there seemed to be WAY MORE SAND then I remembered from the previous loops- how did that happen???) At times it was frustrating to walk when I felt well enough to run, but visibility was limited and there was no way I was going to risk a fall.
Finally, FINALLY, I was back at base camp. My husband was waiting for me and had already packed up my gear. I left some of my unused fuel for Ralph with mental wishes of good luck. I turned in my timer, they gave me my medal, and told me I was second female in my category (of people who ran four loops).
But I wasn’t finished. My watch said 57.5 miles and I came to run 60. I asked them if I could just run a short out and back from the start and they said yes, other people had done that to get to their desired mileage, and since I already turned in my timer it was okay (if you officially started a loop and didn’t finish, you would get a DNF for the entire race).
So… off I went. You guys, this was painful. The temperatures had dipped into the 50s, which was fine while I was running, but after standing still for a while, my quads were cramping up. I could barely, barely run- I probably could have power walked faster than I was running. But I ran out, and then on my way back I met five or six people starting out for their fifth loop. I wished them all luck, thanked my lucky stars I wasn’t one of them, got back to the start, and my watch beeped for 60 miles.
I know this was long, so tomorrow will be part 2: The Aftermath, and What’s Next? Thanks for reading!!!
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57 Responses
So awesome!! Love all of this. I love your quirky friends you always meet. No offense but maybe ultra runners are a little weird?! 😜😁 I’m so thrilled for you that you met your big goal!!!
Hee hee! Yes, I would say ultra runners can be a little weird!
I think you were so smart to walk some of the treacherous parts in the dark, and I’m glad that you had that amazing experience on your final loop. So, so wonderful! I’m so happy for you!
Thank you Julie! I think everyone was walking the really treacherous parts in the dark (and the daylight- there were some pretty gnarly areas). But overall it was amazing.
Just amazing.
Glad you figured out what was up with your stomach to get through! Ginger chews were a godsend when my daughter started being constantly nauseated ( turns out she had developed gluten intolerance).
Ginger chews for the win! I have some left over and we’re saving them for emergencies.
You always meet some peculiar people at these races! Well done again, this seems like your most successful race? No falls, injuries, troubles, other than that stomach issueª. The comeback sounds fantastic, I never thought that could happen at the end of a race!
Hmm! Yes, I guess you’re right- I didn’t fall or end up with an injury. I would say it ties with the very first ultra I did, the Dunes 50k. I didn’t have any issues in that one either. It seems like there’s always an issue to overcome, but everyone says ultra running is all about problem solving.
You meet the strangest people, Jenny. You and Nicole need to collaborate on a book. Your half can be people you meet at races and hers can be people she meets at Superstore. I STILL chuckle about the guy you saw running a 5K in blue jeans. That was just after I discovered your blog.
All the gold stars for accomplishing such an incredible milestone on your 60th, Jenny. Truly amazing. And I’m glad things went so smoothly, all things considered. Hooray for Ginger Chews, too <3
The mental fortitude you've shown inspires me!!
Thank you Elisabeth!!! Ha, yes I had forgotten about that guy wearing jeans ON A SUPER HOT DAY. I guess the takeaway is- people are quirky.
wooo!!!!!!!! this is amazing! to experience the big comeback, that’s so inspiring! And kudos to your husband to be the supporting team.
running in dark alone sounds scary but isn’t it amazing how our mind adjusts quickly to the new setting? I love how endurance sport amazes us.
Yes, it’s really interesting how our minds adjust. You can get used to anything! Endurance sports teach us a lot.
WOW. What a ride!!! Ralph bursting in with his diarrhea and then casually becoming your life coach… what an opening act. 😂
That comeback on loop 4 is awesome! Feeling absolutely terrible and then somehow building back up to running in the dark and actually feeling GOOD… that’s just incredible. Also, respect for getting those final miles done AFTER finishing. I was hoping you would have 60 miles on your watch at the end of loop 4, but it seems the course measurements were precise. Those extra 2.5 miles sound brutal, but you got your 60 on the watch!!
Amazing job, Jenny!!
Thank you Catrina! And yes, wouldn’t you know it- this is probably the only ultra where the course wasn’t long. And I never got off course, like I have in other races! Everything went “perfect” except that it wasn’t quite long enough, lol.
Amazing, well done! And lovely of your husband to appear at the best two times he could! I’m in awe. I hope you’re feeling well afterwards!
Thank you Liz! I was a little out of it right afterwards, but I’m feeling pretty good today.
What a triumph, Jenny!!!! I love your recap and felt so happy when you described your comeback. So inspiring!
Thank you Suzanne!!! I appreciate it : )
I am just so happy for you! I don’t comment that often, but just wanted you to know how amazed I am! I have crewed friends before on loop races and ran with them to keep them company on training runs, and one thing that is impressive with you is that you just do this all on your own. If I lived closer to you I would have been happy to crew for you! Your training plan was so smart and I loved that you didn’t have anything weird come up this go around and your body behaved! What an amazing accomplishment! I hope your birthday was everything you hoped it would be!
Thank you so much Melodie!!! To be honest… on that last loop I kept passing, and being passed by, a man and woman running together. She was running 100 miles and he was her pacer. I realized how helpful that would be! Something to think about for the future…. yes, too bad you don’t live closer : )
CONGRATULATIONS JENNY!
I was thinking about your last (maybe not the last, but a different) race where you met someone who kept calling JENNAYYYYYY like Forrest Gump – I guess this time you got advice about beet juice!
You did it! How long did it take you? I have no concept on how long it would take to run a race that long! It was a good idea to walk when the footing was unsure – eep, you wouldn’t have wanted an injury! I am so interested to hear how you’re feeling now, what your recovery is like, etc. And also – glad you could get your extra miles without running around the parking lot!
Yes, that was my last race! JENAAAY! Ah, I love these people.
I have to look at the official results- tomorrow I’ll give more details about time and how many people ran what distances, etc. I can definitely tell you I didn’t get home till after midnight!
This was so fun to read about! Ultrarunners are the best but a lot of us are also pretty weird, and it sounds like Ralph was one of them. It is nice to have someone to talk to for part of a race though — in my 60K back in January, I spent several miles with a nice woman who had come all the way from New Jersey and was looking for her first official ultra finish. But she ended up dropping when we got to the last aid station and though I felt bad for her, I knew I wanted to and was capable of finishing so I did. So hopefully Ralph got his 100 miles in! And I’m glad you were able to go back out to finish up your 60 miles!
Yes- I like running alone a lot of the time, but it’s also nice to have people to talk to. I haven’t checked yet to see if Ralph finished his 100- I hope he did. I’ll report back!
Oh Ralph. Your opening line should not be about diarrhea. Sheesh. I hate small talk as I think you know so I would have been miserable if I had to hang with that guy for that long! Or I’d need a joint to tolerate weird small talk. My threshold for small talk is LOW but I put up with a lot of irritating small talk when traveling!
But wow, congrats on this major accomplishment! It’s amazing and you should be so incredibly proud of yourself! What a way to start your 61st year! I hope your recovery is going ok and you aren’t hobbling around too much! I cannot fathom running 60 miles so can’t imagine how sore you are. I was sore for days after my marathons but this has to be even worse But it seems like you can through without any injuries!
No injuries! But yes, I’m sore. This is the third day and my quads are still pretty bad. Other than that, nothing is hurting too much.
Ralph was fun for a while, but I was glad when we separated. He got to be a little much!
omg RALPH! Well, that sounds entertaining but I’m glad you didn’t have to hang out the whole time! Amazing job and I hope you are enjoying some well-earned rest + recovery time now!!!!
Thank you SHU!!! Yes, one loop with Ralph was the limit for me- luckily we were able to drift apart naturally.
YES!! I clicked so fast when I saw this. What an accomplishment. I know you’ve struggled with races, but this one seems like it just went off seamlessly. I love the details in your recaps (the dirt section WAS obviously longer!, Ralph is a legend). I’m so proud of you!
Thank you so much Engie!!! I wouldn’t say this was “seamless” but it went better than any of my other ultras. I didn’t fall or get injured, so that’s a win.
Yay!! I’m so happy for you to have this successful race. You did amazing! Too funny about your new bud Ralph, and also very good that you could pay it forward and give him space in your tent. Running in the dark and getting lost would be my biggest challenge. Very cool that you actually enjoyed it. I can only imagine how brutal those last miles were after standing still. That’s always so painful!
Thank you Lisa!!! It was definitely an adventure. And I was scared of getting lost in the dark! But, there were other people out there, even if I couldn’t always see them. They would have found me eventually!
Huge congrats not that I had any doubt that you would do it. You are officially a rock star.
Running in the dark would scare me…I’d be afraid of falling or getting lost.
Glad your hubby came to support you.
100 miles is next, right?
Aw thank you Darlene!!! I actually have 100 miles in the back of my mind… not sure if it’s “next” but I’d like to think it’s a possibility for the future.
Happy birthday! Happy race! Happy birthday race day! Omg Ralph. My biggest nightmare would be an oversharer who can KEEP UP WITH ME. How wonderful that all your preparation paid off. What an amazing accomplishment.
Thank you so much Allison! Yes, Ralph was an oversharer for sure. You definitely meet a lot of characters at these thing.
Congratulations! You did it. It sounds like the hard was about what you expected and you had a great bounce back last lap. I was very excited to read about your race recap no matter what but a successful 60 on your 60th is amazing.
Thank you so much Sak! In that Sally McRae podcast I linked to, one of her tips was that you should expect that it will be hard, but also know that you’ll be able to deal with it when it happens.
You did it!! Happy birthday. Omg– the very very very last thing I would do after smoking a joint is run 100 miles. My god.
Yes, that does seem odd!!! Or put another away, the very very last thing I would do before running 100 miles is smoke a joint. But to each his own!
YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!! 60 for 60!!!!
Do whatever you want on the last loop is great Life Advice from Ralph that we can all apply to our lives. Everything else…maybe not.
Yes, that really is good life advice. I’m going to see how I can implement it in other areas!
I am so happy for you, and so glad the last loop didn’t suck the whole way — that would have been really rough!
How great your husband was able to be there after your first loop and at the end.
Ralph’s advice is a bit sus but at least he gave you some things to think about!
Never apologize for a long recap — you ran the miles, the least I can do is read about them! 😉
Aw, thanks Coco! I appreciate it but no one is obligated to read- so my “thank you” stands!
I’m so impressed! What an amazing accomplishment. Thanks for taking us through the ups and the downs – how amazing that you had such a great final loop after starting in such a low place!
This is totally amazing, Jenny! Awesome perseverance & grit rewarded you with a sweet medal for your birthday:-) You had a great racing plan, and it was well executed. Ralph… what a hoot!
Thank you so much, Kim! I really appreciate it : )
Jenny, you are amazing! I loved reading your recap and will hop over and read part 2 next. I, too, love the medal and how they added the distance and award pieces to it! Congrats, congrats, congrats!!!
Thank you Debbie!!! Honestly, they disappeared for at least 5 minutes while getting my medal and I was standing there thinking, “why is this taking so long??? I still have 2.5 miles to run!” I guess it was because they were customizing it. Very cool.
Fantastic Jenny! I love that you were determined to get to 60 and did it! Brava! And what a riot about Ralph…at least his advice on the last loop was helpful. Congrats!!
Thank you, Michelle! Yes, there was definitely a grain of truth to Ralph’s advice and it came in handy, eventually.
JENNY! I saved reading this as a present for finishing my homework this week. What a race (and bonus out and back)! Congratulations and happy birthday – what a way to truly hit a milestone. Ralph sounds like such a character; I’m sorry his advice may have not hit home but am glad you had that distraction for some of the miles. I know it’s common to have darker moments/sections in long runs like this, but I am glad you ended this experience at 60 miles and smiling!
I’m late to the party, but I wanted to congratulate you, Jenny. You are so impressive. Well done!
I just have to say as your husband, the intentionality you exhibited not only at the race but the months before it were an inspiration to me. Love you 🥰 , glad you didn’t smoke a joint with Ralph.
JENNY YOU DID NOT HAVE TO RUN ANOTHER 2.5 MILES AFTER BEING DONE!!!!! OMG, you are superwoman!!!!
What an incredible birthday! I went through all the emotions for you, too! To start so strong, feel awful., and come back? Amazing! Congratulations on being absolutely awesome! I’m so proud of you! Was the whole race self-supported? That’s strong!
Ralph sounds pretty awesome too. Trail runners are a different breed. I am not at all surprised by him smoking a joint LOL!