I Got a Buckle

In July, a few weeks after my failed attempt to complete the entire 100K (Longest Day race, I didn’t complete my lap at mile #54 quick enough to continue), Cory Evans told me that he signed up for the Bell Lap 24 Hour Ultra. 8:00 am Saturday, September 4 until 8:00 am Sunday, September 5. It is a 24 hour race that takes place on a 400 meter track in Greenville, SC to benefit an ultra runner who is battling cancer. After thinking about it for about five or 10 minutes, I texted him and said I was in.

My training immediately shifted to longer runs, paused with stops for nutrition and hydration breaks. 100 mile weeks became the norm with Sunday runs ranging from 30-40 miles. One “hurdle” was that I was now coaching Cross Country at Hilton Head Prep and when I ran with the guys, it was always quicker than I should be running to prepare for this race. Several days (three or four days per week) after team training, I would go out for another run after cooling down and stretching with my team.

Every run (training with the team and on my own) during the week was in the afternoon in 85-90 degree temperatures with the humidity above 70 percent. Every time I finished, it looked like I was running in the rain. Even on the Sunday runs that started at 6:30 or 7:00 am, the temperature and humidity was in the 80’s by 9:00.

My last few weeks before my taper, I felt like I was on a hamster wheel, get up, go to work, go to coach/run at HHP, then run again, come home have dinner, then go to bed. Finally; when it was time for my 12 day taper, (which I couldn’t wait for) my body was so beat up and tired that running 40 miles the first taper week didn’t make me feel any better. The second taper week, I ran five miles on Monday, four on Wednesday and three on Friday. I felt the best that I have felt in years on Friday morning, the day before the race. But that feeling didn’t last past lunch and I was worried about how I felt for the race.

We (Melissa and I) drove to Greenville Friday afternoon after I got home from training at HHP. It was the day after a meet for the team, so they ran an easy three miles (while I ran 23:36 for three with a runner who was achieving a time so he could compete) then finished at the ocean and spent 20 minutes in the water.

The drive to Greenville lasted four and a half hours, which included a stop at Cracker Barrel (it was the only thing that we could find without a wait. I had fish and a baked potato with the delicious baked apples). We arrived at our airbnb at 9:30, showered and went right to bed. 5:00 wake up call, another shower, bagel with honey, jelly and bananas and a cup of coffee and we were out the door by 6:15. Arrived at the track at 6:30, unloaded the tent, table, chair, cooler and laundry basket with my shoes, extra socks, running attire and medical kit. We were set up by 7:00 and ready to go. Now I had to relax and wait an hour for the start. With all my time that I spent on a track, all I wanted to do was warm up and do some striders to get ready, but I knew that was counter productive to running my first few miles at 9:30-9:45 pace.

Finally, the gun went off at 8:00 am and we were off, trying to see who could run slower. Cory and I decided to run together (at 9:30-9:45 pace) for a few hours. But two miles in, Cory said that he wanted to grab something to eat and to go on without him. Well, there went that strategy 20 minutes into the 24 hour race. So I just started running 9:30 miles and Melissa joined me at about the fourth mile and ran seven with me (our average pace together was 9:08).

I went through 10 kilometers (25 laps) in 60:22. My half marathon split was 2:15. All that I kept thinking about was advice from Ron Maver and Ronald Vargas, “Don’t go too hard, too early; patience!” It felt like I was actually hurting my legs by holding back and running this slow. At about 10:00 am, the temperature reached 85 degrees and there was no shade on the track. 20 miles, 3:21. Just over 22 miles, I caught the young kid who (went out way too fast) was leading. My marathon split was 4:18. My legs felt great, it was the easiest that I have ever run 26.2.

At 30 miles (4:56), I switched my shoes. I was wearing a pair of Atreyus right out of the package, but my left forefoot started sliding a bit, so I decided to change into a pair of Hoka Clifton 7’s with about 150 miles on them. My feet were a bit swollen and I had to take an extra minute to loosen the laces before tying up the Hokas. 5:12 was my 50K split. 40 miles was hit in 6:51 and 50 in 8:52.

At 50, I decided that I would sit down for three or four minutes and relax. However; my stomach had other ideas. I started dry heaving, so I immediately stood up and walked across the track and leaned on the wall and continued to dry heave for about 20 minutes. I decided that losing 20 minutes by standing still was too long, so I started walking. Melissa joined me and we walked four laps, which took another 20 minutes (in the last 40 minutes, I added one mile). My stomach was still not right, but I needed to run, so I made a plan: run nine laps and walk one. This was working out really well as I would drink ginger ale or vegetable broth and eat saltine crackers on my walking laps. I was timing one or two “running” laps every cycle, the slowest ones were 2;27 and the faster ones were 2;20.

Run nine, walk one, repeat as needed. I completed 64 miles in 12 hours.

At 72 miles, nature was calling, so I stopped in the track side port-a-john (the fancy ones in the trailer with a working sink, air conditioning and artwork on the wall). Once I sat down, my stomach started “doing flips” again. I stood up, splashed water in my face and decided that I was going to run with dry heaves 2.0. They lasted about a half of a lap.

Run nine (between 2;20 and 2:27), walk one. Eat saltines, drink ginger ale every walked lap.

The next thing I realized is I have eight laps (two miles) to hit 100. I felt like it should have been harder. Two to go, the race director and volunteers started yelling.

One to go, I decided that I should see what I have left, 1:56 (7;44 pace).

19:33:10. 100 miles. 404 laps.

Then Melissa and I walked a lap, relaxed at the tent and figured out if anyone left would hit 100. After almost an hour, we realized that no one would, so I turned in my ankle bracelet/chip. However; when I walked passed the finish line to turn it in it registered another lap, so the results say: 406 laps in 20:25:39.

I was asked, “Are you going to do another?” “Hell yes!”

In retrospect, I want to thank my beautiful girlfriend, Melissa who was there for every need that I had and took care of my sorry ass after the race.