Finally put in some details
I gave it what I had, but what I had was 33 miles. Dropped there, tough to do, but it was the right thing to do. More details to follow. (below)
Really wanted to give a HUGE congrats to all the FRB'ers that had incrediable runs today!
Kelli - Unbeliveable!! Nice job.
Jun - I was there for one of the low points, it wasn't pretty for either of us, says alot that you were able to pull out of it nail solid race and a great time! courageous effort buddy!
Matt and Scott - Didn't see the finish, but sounded like you were both happy with the result and the times were impressive!!
Oreo and G! Nice family effort, gotta keep the competition hot! Didn't get to talk with you much about your race, but good to see you out there!
Crockett! Crazy!! nice job on 3rd. You are rolling this year.
Ultrajim You pulled it off again! lots of happy runners and good weather...Go figure on that timing!
I'm sue there were more FRB folks out there, just don't know you, but great job anyway!!
Quick report for the 33 miles I ran. (mostly for my future reference so read if you must)
Had serious doubts going in about actually pulling this off. Which was my first mistake, more on that later. I knew what ever I had it was the real deal and not just taper pre-race weirdness, but was hoping that maybe it would fade or could be ignored for 8-9 hours of hard running (yeah right, second mistake)
As had been the nature of this cold, I have good energy early in the day and fade fast in the afternoon. Such was the nature of this race, except the running part accelerated the fade.
Legs felt good off the line and I quickly moved into about 6th place going up the first hill. I held on there following closely behind another runner using his light. My plan was to push a little up the Lone Tree hill and get my heart rate up a bit and see how the lungs handled it, well I ran it, they felt fine, so I thought, guess it's a race and kept the gas peddle down.
The 5 guys on front of me went down the hill and I went out Elephant Head, super fun and beautiful out there all alone and being the first one. Coming back it was fun to pass those still heading out, first one's were Corey and Chad, and they were just at the top of the little hill in the middle.
Things felt good down the big hill, but coming back up the switchbacks is where the wheels started to wobble. My breathing got really rapid and my heart rate was surging, despite moving pretty slowly. I slowed a bit more and passed a couple of back of the packers and wasn't moving much faster than they were at that point.
Picked up a couple of runners coming out of Elephant Head and we started the long roll back to White Rock. There was a guy in front of me who I was keeping pace with and a guy a little bit back that turned out to be Jun. I felt like total hell, but was keeping pace with those around me, so figured i was alright, other than I felt like hell.
Got back into Whiterock, said hi to Lily, checked the time and was 20 minutes up on my planned split and still in 5th or 6th place. All right, but I felt like hell, ached everywhenre, head spining, chest burning. I had serious thoughts about calling a day there, but I knew I had more in me and I couldn't quit with gas in the tank.
Off on a slow jog toward the Mtn View trail and the long out-n-back. Got passed right away, said hey to Jun on the ohter side of the fence and tried not ot look too terriable to all the 25kers walking down the road to their start.
Up the hill down the hill and settled into a painful wheezy jog on the mtn view trail. My pace felt terriable and labored but I was keeping pretty close to the couple of guys in front, so I thought, well I feel like hell, can't imagine running any slower, but I'm hanging so keep going. The further I went the faster my body went down hill. To the point where absolutely everything ached. I concluded I would drop at the Frarey aid, mile 27. I staggerd in, stopped, wobbeld a bit as my head was spinning, sat down, stood up, sat back down, Jun came in a moment later, asked how I was I said I'm done, but as I said it I was looking for my drop bag and switching out my empty gels for full one's and filling my bottle. Just couldn't bring myself to drop. Jun left, I sat back down for a few seconds, and thought, there's a little left, I'll head to the turn around, you never know maybe I'll feel better if I get going.
200 yards out of the aid I knew I should have quit, but I couldn't turn around, I couldn't do the walk of shame back to the aid. So I kept plodding along. Chad Carson passed a few minutes later and soon his crew was in site as they had walked up to the trail from the road. It was Gary, who I know, it was all I had not to jump in his car right there. I told him I would see him at the turn around a kept on. With in a bit I caught up to Jun, who was in a low spot, we both walked along and kind of comiserated about the how we felt. My lungs, head and body knew they were done. I didn't want any of that getting onto Jun's head. I knew he was on a great pace and could finish in his goal time, so I trried to give him some props. We pulled into the turn around right around 5 hours. Still 15 minutes ahead of my splits. I told the guy with the clipboard that I was out, he counted my place and said are you sure you are in 7th place! I said no, I'm not sure, but going on would be a mistake. And that was that, took off the number, got in the car, coughed and shivered all the way back to the start/fininsh.
Getting to my car, my head was really geting to me. asking myself questions like should I have finished, I could have, I know I could have, it would have been ugly and at a huge cost, as I already feel much worse today than yesterday cold wise. I had to put it out of my head and realize it was the best decsion.
I put on two coats and my long pants, sat in the car for a while to calm the shivers, then headed over to the finish to watch everyone come in. I really wanted to see Jun come in as well as several other friends. It was hard knowing if all had been right health wise I most likely would have had a great race. Wasn't to be, and I'm ok with that. I know I learn more from the one's that don't go as would have liked, and I will get alot out of the experience.
The lessons:
1 Dont start if I have serious doubts about finishing due to injury or illness. Got in my head today and would have been a battle even if I had come around to feeling better. Starting sick or injured and not finishing or even finishing sub what I think I could have leaves too many questions that don't have answers about what went right or wrong and if I could have done better. For me every race is a learing experience and I need a baseline of basic health to make descions about what I could improve on.
2. Dont ever DNF under any circumstances short of a sickness that will get worse by continuing or an injury that will do the same. Gut it out, even if its not the race I wanted. Today met the DNF qualifier, but still hurt bad enough that I would never want to do it again under lesser circumstances. Of course there are greater circumstances which might require a DNF and that's ok too.
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