FATS 40/50(k)

My wife and I loaded up the van and headed toward Georgia late Friday morning. Ha, sounds like a line from an old TV show. I was going to run a trail race in North Augusta, SC on Sunday, 10/4/09 and my wife was going to visit her dad in the assisted living home where he seems to be happy and content. We spent the night at his home which allowed us an easy drive and a chance for me to have a "tweet-up" w/ Ron of The Lost Trail Runner Podcast on Saturday morning before continuing on our journey. I ran from my father-in-laws house meeting Ron at Parkview HS (where I also met and married my lovely wife of 30 years). Ron & I had an easy 3 mile run allowing me to get a little leg movement before more driving and afterwards having a nice chat to get to know a little about each other. I get back to the house, load up and off we go again. I drop of my wife, visit a little and continue the trip to Augusta, GA where I will spend the night.

It was a great day to run trails and that's what I did. That day was 10/4/09 at 7:30 in the morning. It wasn't hot nor was it cold, it was "just right" as Goldilocks would say.

We got the final instructions and while standing around waiting for the start I saw a couple people that I had met a couple months ago when I was in Marietta, GA and joined in on a group run with some of the G.U.T.S. runners. We got the start and we were off.

I was a little worried about getting lost since there would not be a large number of runners on this course. I managed to run along with a couple of guys Eric & Jason (who was running the 50k because he had just turned 31) and we chatted back and forth for about 15 miles or so. We figured if one got lost we would all get lost and joked about taking the lead - lots of fun. I did manage to trip a couple of times, 1st time no blood, 2nd time nice red flow from the left knee and a couple of sprained (jammed) fingers. Someplace along the course we got split up and I just kept going and they were ahead of me but not to be one to always follow the crowd, so-to-speak, I managed to make a wrong turn and was meeting runners coming from the opposite direction. There are a couple of stories within this little mix-up. the distance would be the same for all the runners because it was a loop but the aid station was now 8 miles away instead of 4. It was too late to turn around so I just kept going and met several of the lead runners. I guess it was about mile 20 when I tripped for the 3rd time. This time I said "I've got to get a picture". I had reasoned I was going to use on my blog, but also send out on twitter, because I was not going to be out done by Chris of RunRunLive podcast or Lybbe of Fifty Counting Down podcast. I had to come back with a battle scar and story.

I didn't really know at the time how far the aid station was but I did realize that even though I took a wrong turn I was now closing the gap not only to the aid station but also to the finish. Each mile closer to the aid station meant the finish was going to be just that much closer after the aid station. After trying to wash off my knee and using precious water I was so happy to see a water drop about half way to the aid station. I filled up my hand bottle and continued on until finally hitting the aid station. Once there I grabbed a cooler and decided to change my socks.

Mile 26, smiling and putting on clean dry socks. I never knew fresh socks could feel so good! There weren't any water crossings but my feet were soaked from sweat, irritated from sand and small rocks and I figured this was just as good a place to change socks as any. Besides, I brought them so might as well use them.

I trudged along the last 4 miles of the course to the finish. I am beginning to learn that a "50k" race is somewhat loosely interpreted to be anything between 30 and about 33 miles. Race completed in 6 hours, 31 minutes for 30 miles.

No time to waste, so I change (un-showered) clothes, hop in the van and take off to pick up my wife 2 hours away. I showered at my father-in-laws then we head home for a 6 hour drive. I was so sore and stiff when we got home I was uncomfortable. Man, what a great day of running. On to the next adventure, Pine Mountain 40 Miler in December. People ask me why do you do this - why not :-)