I couldn't be happier with how things went on Sunday. It really did help bolster my confidence that this whole 100 mile thing is possible. While I don't know if it was a good idea, I thought I would test out this sleep deprivation thing by watching TV until midnight before waking up around 4:00 AM to make it to Carrollton for the 5:00 AM early bird start time. Since the race consists of 8 1/2 loops, I positioned a cooler full of iced down Gatorade, energy bars, and a couple coffee/energy drinks next to a tree by the start. I spent the first 10 miles or so running with a couple ultramaratoners and a well-traveled marathoner. As one of them had run Haliburtan Forest in the past, it was great to get a first hand report of the race. On the downside, apparently Haliburtan is a pretty tough course. On the upside, it is apparently a very well managed event.
As the sun rose, it began to warm up and I was glad that I did the early bird start this year. It didn't get as bad as last year and I think the Eunduralyte tablets that I have switched to are superior to the Thermotabs I took last year. Or maybe I'm just in better shape this time around. In either case, the run was pleasantly uneventful. Since I knew I was planning on doing 40 miles, I tried to keep a relatively slow pace. I took electrolyte tablets every hour for the first 25 miles or so and then every half an hour after that. I sipped Gatorade regularly from a hand bottle, at a bite of energy bar every 3-6 miles, and drank a 16 ounce Rockstar Coffee Mocha energy drink at 26.2 miles (no Starbucks Doubleshots at the gas station that morning :( ). My fame preceded me and one person asked me if I was the guy in the marathon poster.
With all that I cruised across the finish line for the marathon around 4:15--much faster than last year. It was great to hear Elliott screaming "Daddy!" from Holli's arms just across the finish line. They hurried over from home to see me finish!
After taking a break for about 20 minutes to snap some photos, have a rest, and spend some time with the family, I asked the race managers if they minded if I stayed on the course for a bit more of a run. In retrospect, I should have been more specific as I'm not sure they realized I was planning on running another 14 miles. I relied on my own stash of Gatorade as it didn't seem fair for me to use more than my fair share of race resources. Several times people asked me if it was my final lap. Sometimes I explained I was going a bit farther and sometimes I just nodded my head.
Final time for 40 miles (excluding my 20 minute break) was 6:30 for an average pace of 9:50. Shockingly, that is actually faster than my average pace on the last two months--even including my short runs. Maybe my training plan is working out.
I moved a little slow the rest of the day and took the elevator at work on Monday. On Tuesday, my quads felt a little tight so I tried a rolling pin (yes, as in baking supplies) on them that night and that worked wonders after about 15 minutes. I spent about an hour and 40 minutes on a stepper this afternoon and feel 100%. The fact that I have recovered so quickly has me feeling really optimistic. Unfortunately, registration for the 100k I was planning to run next weekend is closed. I figure I'll still put in at least one more long run of 50 or 60 miles and then call it time to taper. Less than 40 days to race time!
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