"Best of '08" -- Frankenstein 50k

Originally posted 10/26/08

Frankenstein 50k, Oct 26, 2008 : Race Report

You can’t really call this a race report, because that would infer that I was racing. No, this was simply a test of mettle, a battle of attrition. I was there to learn.

I awoke around 5:30am on Sunday, ate a quick bowl of cereal and downed some coffee to get the day started. Danny arrived promptly at 6am and we were off. We arrived in Frankenstein, MO around 7:15am for the 8am start. After checking in and getting ready (i.e. standing around, using the porto-john,) we were summoned to the start. Ashley (my lady) gave me a quick hug and kiss for good luck.

“See you in 5 hours!” she said with a smile.

I have a tendency to drive myself into the ground in endurance events; I have twice completed half iron distance triathlons with almost no nutrition game plan. Today I wanted to make sure I was consistently taking in calories and being preventative rather than reactionary to my calorie/energy depletion.

Go! We were off. My friends, Danny and Keith were soon ahead of me and I thought to myself, “This is going to be a longgg day.” After fixing some race belt issues, I found a solid rhythm and repeated in my head that this was going to be fun. I tried to bridge the gap to Danny and Keith at mile 4, but I didn’t want to blow myself up early and with 27 miles to go! I stuck to my plan and ran my race.

We ran through the town of Bonnots Mill at around mile 8 and then had the first of many steep climbs. I quickly dropped gears and settled in a power walk mode. I charged up the hill with another runner as we sucked down a gel…mmm, strawberry Cliff Shot. At mile 10ish the marathoners hung a left and the 50k’ers continued on down the road for a 2.5 mile out and back (to give us our extra 5 miles.) This would be our first and only chance to see who was running the 50k and our current place, not that I was racing. The front runner was cruising along about 40 seconds up on a group of 3. Keith was in 7th, almost 3.5 minutes back. I yelled at him his position and told him to go for it, he was looking great. He had picked up the pace and Danny was a few positions back. I stopped for a second to talk to Danny and give him some sports beans; he said he was slowing and that I would catch him soon. At the turn around I stopped for a moment for some more GU and water. I thanked the volunteer and was off, happy that I was in the top 15.

Mile 15.5 mark is where we re-joined the marathoners, as well as halfway. Danny and I joined up and set a comfortable pace. We both quickly commented on the amount of caterpillars on the road, as we tried to distract ourselves from the task at hand. Although I haven’t been running all that long, I have learned how to turn off half the brain so that I can continue to run without noticing the distance and pain. With that said, I don’t recall much more of the run. There were several tough climbs and some beautiful scenery. I stopped for a moment at mile 22.5 and talked with some volunteers and other runners. I crossed the 26.2 mile marker at 4:36, giving myself a marathon PR on an incredible tough course (by my calculations I was in sub 4-hour marathon fitness.)

The last few miles cannot be put in words. I knew there would be something between 26.2mi and 31.1mi and I knew I had to find out what it was. Turns out it was more hills and a lot of pain. I talked aloud to myself; I cursed and made deals with the devil. I caught a couple marathoners struggling at the top of the last hill. I offered gels and sports beans, but they decline. I told them we had to be getting close.

“Um, the finish is right there,” they replied.

I smiled, thanked them and took off. I was amazed at how light my legs felt all of a sudden, I may have even teared up a little. I waved to the small crowd and high fived a couple people. As I crossed the finish line I was awarded my prize, a belt buckle. I remember a runner earlier that day telling me, “They don’t sell ‘em at Target.” He was right, this I earned.

Surprisingly I felt great later that day and the next. Even went for a short 2 miler the Wednesday afterwards. I am very proud of this accomplishment and not just because of the distance and the hills, but because I was alone for so much of the run. I wasn’t running with 40k other runners like in NYC, this was different. I ran 50k.

I am very much looking forward to my next 50k and to whatever is beyond.

SJP

Spirit of the Osage 50k – 5:33:16 3rd AG, 22nd OA