Does 47.6 Round Up to 50?

In January of 2021, when Melissa ran the Retreat Repeat 8 hour ultra, I decided that the next year I was in. Scott Defusco won it last year with 49.3 miles. So, of course, my goal was 50 (it is a 1.7 mile loop course, so 51.0 would be needed to go over 50).

After the GAP Relay in mid October (of which I wasn’t recovered from 100), my training focused on running 50 miles (51) in eight hours. My Sunday runs became 25 to 30 miles with at least 15 the day before or after. Things were progressing along nicely until December 4th (5 weeks before the race), when my peroneal tendon acted up at the end of a 100 mile week. The tendon was too painful to run on the next day, or the next, or the next… So I made a call to Dr. Prather’s office to schedule a cortisone shot. They couldn’t fit me in until Monday the 13th, then a few days for it to take effect. In total, 11 days without taking a step. Then 130 miles in 10 days before a 12 day taper for the race. My taper consisted me complaining about every ache and pain with severe doubt about completing 50 miles.

My best friend from college, Joel “Sparky” Stafford, came to Hilton Head on Thursday before the Saturday race. He was visiting with the intention of crewing for me and the redhead (without ever seeing an ultra before). He did a great job, once he realized what was needed (or more appropriately, how we wanted things done)

The race itself went off, like every other ultra, with runners slowly venturing away from the starting line. There was a group of 6-8 runners all together talking and joking. I really didn’t know any of them, so after the first loop, I went ahead of them with last year’s winner, Scott Defusco. We ran together for four or five loops until he took a nutrition/hydration break. I was “left to my own devices” and started running a little faster than I should have, because at about 17 mile, Sparky said’ “You have a five minute lead on second”. Oops. The plan was 9:00 minute miles, I had a 7:56, an 8:09, 8:10, 8:11, a couple 8:12s and all under 8:35. Anyway, at about 24 or 25 miles, I bruised the medial cuneiform bone (where the big toe meets the foot) on my right foot. I started compensating and soon my left IT band was giving me issues. Compensate…right hamstring, which led to the lower back tightening up. At about 28 miles, the eventual winner, Chris Varnadoe, passed me and a few laps later, Scott Defusco also did the same. I limped in with a third place finish of 47.6 miles.

6.375 miles per hour, or 9:24 per mile.

Varnadoe won with 52.7, Defusco 51.0,then the old man with 47.6.

In women’s action, the redhead had a podium finish (2nd again this year) with 39.1 miles. Last year she ran 35.7. And yeah, her trophy is bigger than mine

Thank you Nathan Dewey for a great race, we look forward to it next year!