2011 Pineland 50 - Race Report (Part III - miles19 through 34.5)

I forgot to mention that I had a sharp, painful stab in the back when I got up from the roller, worrisome, but immediately forgotten when I started off.  The next 9 miles would be my only solo running, then I'd have Mindy to pace me the rest of the way.

Just a mile and a half into the 2nd loop, I decided I could no longer run with the junk in my shoe.  I'd first noticed rocks had gotten in somewhere around 10 miles in, but they were still in a place that wasn't annoying.  Now I had them on the bottom of my feet and ends of my toes.  Here was my first hint of the cramping that was to come.  My toes and arches were the first to cramp.  It made it hard to get the shoes off, socks de-debrised (yeah, I made up that word, but, I like it), and everything back on.  Still, it was worth it. 

A mile or two after that, I first noticed the sky lightening.  NO!  If the clouds let the sun out, the temperature would climb rapidly.  I know you all know already how this plays out.  It gets hot.  I'm not sure if I could get wetter, but I could get saltier.  I was surprised how this translated into pain.  I think think the edges of all my clothing and their seams started chafing.  Fine.  Stinging wasn't really a big deal.  Doesn't stop you from running.


As I approached the Yurt for the first time on this lap, I wondered when I'd see the first of the 25Kers.  I confess that, in past years, (except for TMs) I kinda hated some of the fast guys.  It seemed like they always caught up with me walking up that long up of the Winter Field Loop (never knew it had a name!).  I'm being honest.  I'm sure they weren't as self-absorbed as they seemed to me.  I'm sure I hated their speed when I was painfully walking.  BUT, but, in my own self-absorbed pity-fest, I felt like they were resentful of the space/line I was taking up - like they owned the damned path.  Then one would say, "nice job", and I'd feel all guilty for my hateful thoughts.

Fortunately, I was still feeling pretty good in that field.  I did walk the long hill, but not painfully, AND no 25Kers overtook me here.  Back to the Yurt, the aid station still had the relaxed feel, not the frenzied feel when the fast people breezed through (sorry fast people, remember, this is seen through distorted eyes).  How far could I get?  Someone fast went by me nearing the field of the Valley Farm loop.  Pretty good.  I was able to give them an encouraging word.  In the field, on the stretch before the slight hill, Jeff overtook me!  I think he even put an arm around me and gave some kind of atta girl.  I was pretty psyched.  He was pretty far up.  There was a young kid (who the hell can tell the age of people under 30?  especially at speed) close to Jeff, but I think Jeff stayed ahead, at least while in my view.  Go Jeff!  And thanks for the pick-me-up.  I walked the hill, but that was planned.

Not starting running again was not a plan.  It took me a hundred feet or so to realize that I was still walking.  It was just so damned hot.  OK, run.  I started to remind myself that soon I'd get Mindy.  She became my carrot.  I really don't remember the miles between this point and seeing Mindy waiting for me at the Valley Farm aid station.  Mindy asked about my needs, the aid station people asked about my needs, I'm sure I made my needs known.

Yay!  Mindy was running with me.  I said tell me about the baby!  Mindy had just returned from Atlanta, a trip to meet her new niece.  I could focus on Mindy's story about little Briellen.  It was good.  Sometime in the next couple of miles, I walked for no reason.  "Oh, sorry!"  Mindy must have said no apologies or something like that.  I realized that it was silly.  It was my run.  Still, I'd apologize over and over for just that.  Finally, I decided I must be apologizing to me.  I didn't want to walk.  The heat was hot.

I sweat a lot.  Not like a lot for a girl, I sweat a lot for anyone.  In my first ever marathon, in October of 1986, I lost 8 pounds.  It was below freezing at the start and probably never got out of the low 50's.  I drank at every aid station.  I sweat. I believe I started complaining about my many raw spots.  The edges of my shorts was the worst.  Mindy had a travel-sized body glide with her.  I said if I applied it to all the neccesary spots, it would have to be mine.

Back into the Grove, Mindy made sure to fill my bottles with straight Gatorade.  Rick provided my potatoes with salt.  I also had a big bag of ice applied to the back of my neck.  Ryan was right there helping out.  It might of been him holding the ice.  I must have used the roller.  I tried to every stop.  I still wasn't finding a tender spot indicating the IT band was tightening.  I'm sure I had more cramping.  I think the rest of the race, I was plagued by severe muscle cramps.  This would have Mindy pushing the electrolytes.

We started to have the people that we played leapfrog with from here on out.  There was the girl who was struggling with stomach issues.  She was down cause she'd done it before and was hoping to PR (kinda how it works).  There was the really, really grumpy girl who wanted no part of encouragement or even Mindy's offer to run with us.   We met two guys running together.  The one from Texas didn't think the heat was an issue at all.

I was still feeling pretty good about my chances of at least PRing.  I had to add 3:24:00 to whatever showed on my Garmin, but I think I was still on track around 30 miles in.  I was amazed that the aid stations had the amount of ice that they did, even late into the race.  I'm not sure which one I first put the ice down my sports bra (both front and back), but from then on out I did so at everyone.  I might have flinched initially putting it down my front, but, I was so hot, it didn't last long.  For a little stretch, I would feel better.

Heading back to Camp Val for the final loop

Somewhere before the field on the other side, my ITB seemed to start complaining more.  I planned to focus more on the roller back at Camp Val.  As much as I wanted to keep my TM shirt on, it was time to ditch it in favor of something white.

Oh, I'm sorry.  I really planned to finish this up tonight, but...it's 2 a.m. and I'm really tired.  I'll try to get it done in the morning.  In the meantime, I ran today.  The shoes went on fine.  I really had no muscle soreness since the race, just little twinges of back pain and knee crap.  The toe was really the sorest post-run till it popped and released the pressure.  Just under 3 miles with some pep!