2011 Pineland 50 - Race Report (Part II - miles 0 through 19)

I slept in short stretches the night before the race, but at least I slept.  I didn't have any worries for that morning; I felt I planned and packed well.  All I had to do when I got up was put the cold stuff in the cooler, eat, dress, and tend to Spot and Ally Kat.  Rick had packed the car with the stuff for "Camp Val", so dubbed by George last year.  I had actually made a list and checked things off as they were packed.

After we stopped for coffee, I was envisioning what I needed to do when we got to Pineland.  Crap!  Next year, when I make my list, it will have to say Fuel Belt WITH bottles.  I brought all the liquids to fill and refill those bottles that were still sitting in the cupboard.  Rick asked if I wanted to go back to get them.  No time.  Crap.


OK.  OK.  Rick would watch the race go off, see me go by after the first 3.5 mile little loop and then head back to the house.  He'd be back by the time I went through the Grove, about 13 miles into the race.  I decided that I would be fine; there are aid stations every few miles.  It wouldn't be till the heat built in that I really would need to have them with me.  OK.  Relaxing again;  Rick getting the Camp set up, me getting my shoes on.

I'm not even sure who I said hi to or what, in the short time before the start.  Emma and I ended up standing towards the back of the runners, debating whether that helps you go out slow or just frustrates you trying to weave around people because you don't want to go THAT slow (all that adrenaline and body craving to move (it had been forced to taper!)).  We moved up, maybe to mid-pack.  Erik said his words, Ian his.  We were off!

I knew Emma wanted to run conservatively, but I didn't think that would mean all the way down to my pace.  Yay for me!  We talked pretty easily but with little bursts still trying to get around runners to find where we wanted to be; I never put myself in the right spot.  Nate heard me complaining to Emma about leaving my bottles home.  He had brought his Fuelbelt, yes with bottles, but decided on a hand held.  I could use his.  But I didn't know where he was set up.  He would be well ahead by then.  No, I'd be fine; Rick would get mine before I really needed them.

I remember Emma saying she couldn't wait to get her feet wet, or was it muddy?  Then later in the race, much later, I came across a runner complaining about getting his feet wet.  It actually took me a minute to realize he was serious.  It was a trail race in Maine on a year with a very wet spring.  I was amazed at how dry it was.  I told him that this was the first day that I could remember even putting ON dry shoes (damn taper!).  Oh, yeah, people do run Pineland who aren't normally on trails.

Trail Monster, Emma, enjoying the mud

It was at the first aid station that I realized Emma was planning on staying with me for a while.  She showed me a card she'd made reading:  "Slow, Stretch, Succeed, 100".  I was happy to help with the slow part, especially since the pace was right on with what I'd written on my own card, dealing with pace for each loop in order to hit 10 hours.  When I went into the trees to pee, Emma was waiting.  I tried to convince her she didn't need to, but was very glad she did.   I not only enjoy what Emma has to say, but love just listening to her say it.  If I could chose an accent for my own, it would be Scottish.  I learned not to wait for her; she could easily catch up.  Plus I could use the time to take a couple of photos (yes, I remembered my camera and not my bottles).

Of course, this is a 50 mile race and not everything about the first loop was enjoyable.  I noticed how much I was already sweating.  I think the dew point was pretty much the same as the temperature.  Yuck.  Please, please, please stay cloudy.   Both Emma and I were taking in drinks at every aid station, at first alternating between Cytomax and water, but then pretty much sticking with the electrolyte drink.  I even took my first Coke.  I usually save that for late race.

Oh, another mistake...I don't stop my Garmin when I stop.  Not only have I realized on training runs that there is the potential not to restart, thus missing lots of data, but that time counts in races anyway.  The Garmin will show pace and stoppage time; just leave it alone!  This time I did want to get lap times for the 3.5 mile loop and all three 25K loops.  I wanted to see how I did versus the plan I'd devised.  Seventeen minutes after completing the 3.5 miles, I realized I hit "stop" and not "lap".  Emma told me her time.  OK.  I just have to add 17 minutes to whatever I see on the Garmin.  No problem; I like having to do little math things while running.  However, when I looked at my Garmin again and realized that the seconds weren't changing at 1:33:42.  Crap.  Crap.  The buttons are very sensitive.  I must have hit the stop on something.  Arg!  OK, new plan.  I would reset it back in the Grove and go from there.  Well, I did reset it, but forgot to restart it.  ARRGGGGH!

Running into the Grove, everyone was happy to see me smiling.  This was way better than last year when I was already in severe pain.  I got on the roller more as a precaution, not because anything was really grumping.  Rick tended to me, making sure I got my Fuelbelt bottles with 1/2 Gatorade, 1/2 water.  Ryan and Mindy made me feel like I was a rock star.  Off to the across the street, um....Oak Hill.  YAY!  I still had Emma.  She was so clearly happy to be running 50; it was infectious.


Not sure where, maybe near the aid station in the woods, the music one, I noticed a twinge in the ITB area.  Take note (this is me telling myself, not telling the reader).  Monitor.  Didn't last.  I did tell Emma I'd hit the roller a little longer before the start of the 2nd 25K.  I don't think she said, but I knew that it was time for her to start picking up the pace.  I would be, according to plan, backing off slightly.  It was wonderful to have her energy and company for 19 miles.  Wow, it was going great.


Back at Camp Val, I came in telling them about the 3 R's, a mnemonic device Emma and I came up with:  Roller, Refill, Restart.  Then Emma suggested I keep the 3 R's for my pit stops, replacing Restart (since I would NOT be making that mistake again) with Rejoice : )  Bye Emma!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I rollered.  There really wasn't THE spot.  A sign that the band really wasn't a problem yet.  I was refilled (people tended to what I asked for and then some).  I ate a Honey Stinger Wafer. Mmmmmm!  It was as good as lunch at E & L's.  I started off my next loop with a big smile and everyone telling me to get getting;  I was a couple of minutes faster than my plan!  I was trying to take a picture of my camp with it's very special crew.