We were planning on heading out of Chicago Wednesday evening and arrive in Houston. Thursday - Friday were suppose to be spent sight seeing around Houston and making our way for packet pick-up and pre-race dinner on Friday evening. Then, the race on Saturday - Sunday. Head back to Chicago on Monday night. The plan looked good on paper. . . . then there was BLIZZARD 2011!!
The blizzard hit Chicago with a vengence on Tuesday evening through Wednesday night. Scratch going to work Wednesday. Scratch heading out of Chicago Wednesday night. We luckily rescheduled our flight for Thursday AM departure. This meant waking up at 3AM, getting everything put into the car, shoveling off the car, and then driving (very slowly due to the road conditions) to Midway. We parked in the Midway Garage, which had snow drifts inside the garage. Grabbed a bagel and egg in the airport terminal and got on the plane to Houston, Texas! Wow, this was really going to happen.
When we arrived in Houston, we checked into our hotel and took a well deserved nap. My left knee was acting weird and hurting. I put it in a knee brace. I wasn't sure if it was my nerves or if I was dealing with something serious. My left knee would continue to be on my mind until the race. Bill was familiar with the Houston area, due to his business travels, and we hit this really great restaurant "Flying Saucer". Great beer selection and awesome food. We even got an order of their pretzels. Yowza! It was the best pretzel I have ever eaten, seriously! Headed back to the hotel and got a good nice rest.
Friday morning there was an ice storm in Houston. We watched out our hotel window to roads that were covered in ice and most of the highways were closed due to numerous accidents and icey conditions. I was beginning to feel as if this was some huge sign from a Higher Power. I mean, a blizzard and now an ice storm! I was starting to wonder about this whole adventure. As soon as the sun came out, the ice started to melt and we got on our way to Huntsville, Texas to pick up my packet for the race and to enjoy a pre-race dinner.
We got into Huntsville and I started to get excited. I took in the scenary and visualized running through the woods. We went to the location at the area college campus for the race packet pick-up. The Race Director also hosts a pre-race pasta dinner and goes over the trail and the race. The big excitement was that Anton Krupika and Scott Jurek were going to be running. I was pretty excited to see them. I mean, what other sport can you compete along side elites? I think this is what I love about this sport. We met our friend and fellow Chicago Ultrarunner, Deanna. This would be her first 100 mile and I was so excited and thankful that she was there. It really helped quiet my nerves knowing that she was going to be there during the race.
The dinner was actually pretty good. I wasn't hoping for much, but the pasta and the deserts were awesome. We chatted with Deanna and her friend that came into town to help crew for her. Bill and I realized we had some unfinished business to attend to and needed to head to Walmart to get me a watch. I forgot my watch in Chicago, and needed a way to know when to take my supplements/Advil/nutrition. We went to Walmart and saw Anton and Scott. I was a total geek about seeing them. Poor Bill.
After the store, we headed back to the hotel to get things packed up and for me to get some rest. While I methodically went over my drop bag, nutrition, gear, supplies and shoes Bill headed to the local beer store to pick up some brews that we can't get in Chicago. My knee was still making me nervous, so I used KinesioTape and taped up my IT bands and did a complete taping of my left and right knee (for good measure). (As a side note, Kinesiotape is amazing and I highly recommend it to anyone that has a sport or activity that they due a lot of repetitive motions. On the KT website, they have amazing videos to show you how to apply and use the tape.) Finally, I got to bed.
The alarm sounded in the morning, and I was ready to go. I was so excited. I wasn't nervous, I was just going to go for a run. This was my mentality since we left Chicago. This is the same message Bill always tells me when he has a run. He's never nervous, because he always tells himself that "This is just another run". We got to the start area and we found Deanna. It was great to see her and I was so happy that she was there. As we waited for the start time, Bill and I were in the starting tent. I looked at him and just started to cry. I just told him "I'm scared". I was scared, because of my previous attempt at a 100 mile race and dropping out of that race. Being the amazing guy he is, he just grabbed me and gave me a big ole hug. I needed that. After the emotions, it was time to start running.
Deanna and I started the race together and continued for the overwhelming majority of the race. The wooden bridges were super icey in the morning, with a fresh layer of ice. Around mile 7ish we heard a woman screaming. As we approached, she was laying on the ground right by one of the icey bridges. There were a ton of runners helping her out. She couldn't move her foot and we later found out that she broke her ankle. I felt so bad for her, but knew that there were people helping her and this was a reminder to take it slow on those bridges. I cam here for a buckle and not a broken bone. After the first 2 hours, I took a Gu every hour and salt tab. We were cruising. The weather was perfect 30s - 50s. I was used to running in this weather and it felt great. Deanna was a ball of energy. She was chatting with everyone we met and I was so proud to be running with such an amazing woman. She really kept the pace up. My goal was to cover as many miles as possible during daylight, since I heard the nights were cold and very dark here. I knew when the darkness came, my speed would drop. So, the more miles done during daylight the better.
We finished the first 20 miles in a little over 4 hours and continued this speed for the first 3 loops. I felt pretty good. I could start feeling the miles in my body around 50 miles. I made sure to keep calories in my body and pain under control. Deanna had 2 pacers that were going to run with her during the 4th and 5th loop. Somewhere in the 3rd loop, Deanna was flying and I decided that I needed to back off a little.
I needed to run my race and I was getting nervous about the pace. So, she went ahead of me and I was alone with my thoughts and the beautiful trail. Bill was amazing and restocked my supply of Gu's, salt tabs, Advil and Perpetum. He mentioned that I was drinking enough perpetum and that I needed to increase that. I headed out for the 4th loop. More than halfway through the loop is this section of road that is super boring and you can see down the road and it never seems to end. I was running up a hill and heard Deanna's voice. She was with her pacer. She mentioned how great I was running and I knew I had to keep running as long as I could. When I start to walk, my body seems to shut down. But, as long as i'm running my muscles continue the movement. I wanted to stop and walk with them, but I knew I had a goal and needed to continue my run.
I got into the start/finish to head out for my 5th and final loop. This loop sucked! I was walking more than I wanted and my body was yelling at me. I did a lot of talking to myself. On one of the CHUG runs, I was running with my friend Paige and she told me something I will never forget. That her fiancee Geoff always tells her to stay in the moment. I kept remembering that during this loop and kept telling myself to not think about the miles I had to do, but stay in this moment. It really helped me out and kept me in the appropriate mind frame. Most of the people I met along the way had a pacer and were walking. I felt a little lonely, but I kept myself company. :) Halfway through the loop, there is a mat that beeps and reads the timing sensor attached to your ankle. I was running with another runner and we heard that beep and knew we were halfway through the loop. As I crossed that mat I screamed out loud. This was going to happen! I kept up my run. As I came up to the next Aid Station the volunteers were amazing and made sure I was stocked up before I left. I had less than 10 miles to go! I started to tear up. Keep in mind, these last 10 miles there was a lot of crying on. It was crying from pain, but more all the emotions.
At the next station, I saw Bill. I didn't need anything and just wanted to get out of that station as fast as I could. I think I had about 4 more miles to run. It was light outside and my mind started playing tricks with me. Along the trail, I kept seeing a figure in the trees and he kept messing around with the glowsticks that were hanging in the trees. It was weird and I started getting scared. I decided to turn on my IPod and stare at the ground. My head was messing with me and I just needed to focus.
At about 2 miles to go, I passed a runner. He said "You look great" and I told him "You are one amazing liar". I didn't feel great, but it was a nice laugh. As I turned the corner, I saw the finish line. The finish is a long stretch of flat grass, so you can see all the way to the finish. I lost it and teared up. I wanted to get all the crying out, before I saw Bill. I'm a tough cookie and don't like to cry in front of people.
As I crossed the finish (26:02:00), I clapped my hands and then just stopped running. For the past 26 hours, I was running and my body was not used to being still. Bill gave me a hug and the Race Director handed me the coveted Rocky Raccoon Buckle. It was beautiful and I couldn't believe I was holding it. I did it! I was an official 100 mile runner. It felt great.
My body started to decompose the moment I crossed the finish line. My legs wouldn't move and I just wanted to get to the bathroom and some clean clothes. I tried changing out of my clothes, but I didn't want to miss Deanna finish. I knew she wasn't far behind me and I really wanted to see her cross the line. We headed back to the finish, just in time. Deanna ran in and she looked amazing! Her running gait looked fresh and you wouldn't even know she was running for 26 hours. She was so happy and I was so excited for her. She made calls to her friends to tell them the good news. I started feeling sick and knew I needed to get back to the hotel and lay down. We said our goodbyes to Deanna and we were heading back to the hotel.
I hobbled into the lobby and the look that I got from the front desk worker was priceless. Bill explained that I just ran 100 miles. When we got into the room, Bill headed out to get some food. I hopped in the shower. We think the heat was on too high in shower, because I started getting sick and very dizzy. I laid down on the bed and luckily Bill was back from the store shortly. I got into some comfy clothes and it felt so good to be in comfy clothes and getting ready for a nap. I was able to take very short naps, but my body would wake me up with pain.
The Superbowl was that day. So, Bill picked up a sandwich shaped like a football and chips/guacamola and salsa (my favorite)!! We watched my hometeam, The Packers, win the Superbowl. My dad called and said it was the best day, his daughter ran 100 miles and the Packers won the Superbowl. It was the best day!
With the Kinesiotape, I had no knee/IT band issues at all. I will continue using that tape for events and during training. I will be going back to Rocky in 2012. I want to get the Sub-24 hours buckle. Until 2012 Mr. Rocky. :)
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