Round and round the mulberry bush...

Traditional pre-race photo

Or rather, round and round Rosaryville State Park...three times.  That's how I reached my private goal to finish a 50k (31 miles) this year and finally put my back injury behind me for good (it wasn't an official resolution because I just couldn't be certain I was healthy enough to do this distance in one fell swoop).  It's been more than two years - two very long years - since I felt healthy enough to mosey up to the starting line for this distance.  It's been a long journey, but the result was very satisfying.



Mosey up to that starting line I did.  It was a cold, crisp fall morning with promises to be absolutely amazing by the end of ten miles.  The setting was beautiful, with just enough colored fall leaves hanging onto the trees to remind you winter is still a ways off.  The race field was reasonable for a narrow trail - 130ish runners started.  And the race committee was enthusiastic enough to rev up even the most reluctant runner attempting the distance.  What shocked me most, however, during the course briefing (standard for trail runs since there are many, many miles of unmanned areas) was that about half the field were first time ultramarathoners.  How's that for motivating?!?

So off we went.  Loop one was the most congested, obviously, but really with a smaller field, we all got some dance space around us to avoid tripping over each other (there were enough tree roots for that...we didn't need people adding to that mix).  Loop one was swift.  I wanted to settle in at around 12 minutes per mile, which would give me enough speed to hit a decent start without blowing too much energy and allow me the flexibility to slow down to a 14 minute pace in the third loop.  Well, too bad, I hit a 9-10 minute pace and just kept cruising.  The trail was much as I remember during my training run for North Face earlier this year, except that the leaf cover was pretty thick, which masked the trail in many areas.  My legs felt great, my morale was high and all was going well.  Except the roots which had it out for me...especially that one that really just about caused a face plant about 500m from the end of the first loop.

The second loop started getting a little lonely.  I was mostly running by myself at this point.  While I had my ipod and minispeaker in my camelbak ready to provide me endless entertainment, I never turned it on.  Don't ask me why....it would have saved me 75 or more repetitions of "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" (blast the toddler cds in my car) that kept running through my head over and over.  After that, it was the more appropriate "She'll be coming round the mountain."  Next time?  Bust out the ipod and minispeaker...sanity is worth it.

By the third loop, let's admit, I was tired.  The roots were getting the best of me and I had already tripped no less than six times.  Should it have been a surprise then that I did finally face plant at about mile 21?  Oh no...no surprise there.  Luckily it was not as bad as it could have been.  I went down on my knees (now those did hurt for the rest of the race), but there were no external injuries, and since it was on a flat section, I avoided the possibility of breaking something.  It did slow me down though.  I can't complain, however, because I was still hitting my target pace...a little under in many cases.  I was able to keep a 13-14 minute pace between mile 21 and mile 31.  The slow down also gave me a little more time to pay attention to what was around me.  Now, I know I already ran this loop twice, so things shouldn't be any different in appearance, but I swear that image up there - doll head on a stake with a toaster hanging out in the background - was not there during the first two loops.  Prankster?  Forest goblins?  Who knows.  At least it was sunny and daylight hours.  If you came upon that at dusk it could really freak you out.

Throughout the race, I was texting with my husband...mostly while at aid stations to let him know about my progress.  When I was about 4 miles from the finish he texted to let me know I had a visitor waiting at the final water stop, just less than a mile before the finish.  Its motivating.  I want to set a good example for my daughter to let her know that women can achieve whatever goal they want...and that fitness is something you should engage in your whole life.

Finally, 6 hours, 15 minutes and 42 seconds after I started, I crossed the finish line.  Not only was this a personal triumph over injury, it was a huge new Personal Record (PR).  The last time I completed this distance was in 2009.  At that time it took me more than 8 hours to finish the North Face Endurance Challenge 50k.  It felt good crossing that finish line.  Thank you to all the volunteers who gave up their Saturdays to support this event and the Annapolis Striders.  You really do help push runners to meet and exceed new goals by being on the course providing motivation.

My performance ended with the diva placing my finishers medal around my neck and then her providing entertainment to a pavilion full of recovering runners.  While I didn't make it to the finish in time to get any of the post-race food catered by Chevy's (dang those early runners must have been really hungry....the several dozen folks still behind me didn't get any either), I did instead earn every last one of the seasoned curly fries I downed at Arby's on the way home.  I likely won't be running this race next year because Brie wants to do the Richmond Marathon (same weekend...and I will be doing my 50K earlier in the year), but it was a fun one.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  31
Time:  6:15:42 (average pace of 12:07 per mile)
Location:  Rosaryville State Park
Feeling:  Aside from the knees (darn roots), everything else worked amazingly