Bandera 100K

I'll save the drama: I FINISHED. I know there were some doubters & some believers about whether I would actually accomplish this goal. & I'll admit that I counted myself in both of those camps. It was ugly...but I finished. More importantly, through finishing, I confirmed a few things about myself. I knew these things going into this race but I came away from my 12+ hours on a very rugged course understanding a few basic lessons:

Lesson #1: I'm Stupid.

No training. I mean NO TRAINING...unless you consider 30 min 3x a week in Nov & Dec as training. My last long run was a 20M at Lost Maples in early October w/ Joe's group...where I got my ass handed to me.
I should not have started this race. Ruth thought (knows) I was loony-tunes...I didn't really let anyone else other than Joe know I was so under prepared. But I'd said I would do it. Committed at the Belt; committed with drunken verbosity on a number of occasions. So, in my view, I needed to pay the piper.

Lesson #2: I'm Weak.

I couldn't stick to a race plan I'd created. I got fired up less than a mile into the race. Then I realized I was being stupid & tried to create some kinda rhythm. Too fast into the first aid station (Nachos) but chasing the leader. Passed the leader into Chapas (station 2) but feeling "good". Starting regretting the early, ill-advised fast pace on the flats where I began to cramp & look over my shoulder. Absolutely crawled through Crossroads twice & over Lucky. I don't think I ran more than a mile from XRoads to Last Chance. Leader passed me just before Last Chance & I knew I was a goner: cramping of the back, quads & calves led to a significant shrinking of my testes. I'd quit at this point, then walked the last 4.5M over Cairns & Boyles back to the Lodge in over an hour & a half.
UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYY.

Lesson #3: I'm Tough.

Being a novice ultrarunner, I'd always thought crews & pacers were for pussies. I found out otherwise at the Lodge. My crew let me know I was letting them, my athletes, my family, my reputation & my very manhood down in the strongest terms possible. I was not amused. I give thanks to Carrie, Leah, Claire & Abe for their support. I was done & they made me realize that going back out for another loop was a better option than quitting.
I went back out telling Abe, my "pacer" (more like "life preserver"), that we'd just get around the first bend & I'd start walking. Somehow I kept running...all the way back to the Lodge.

Thanks to the aid stations...

Nachos - (Bill & Co.) Thanks for electrolytes, agua & the Old 97's.
Chapas - (Noelle & Co. - at least on the 2nd loop) Thanks for the pain killers & vaseline.
Crossroads - (HCTR, B-A-B-Y!!!!!!) Thanks for perspective, chicken noodle soup & being a soft cushion for my crew.
Last Chance - (ASHA!!! Brothers (& sisters) in arms!!!!) - For Tecate, a seat & L-O-V-E!!!

Thanks to Joe, Henry, Mike, HCTR & anyone I missed.

I am deeply humbled by my first foray into ultrarunning. [Simple aside: 50K does not equal ultra. You must go over 50M to be worthy of the ultra moniker] I was/am humbled by the requirements for success, humbled by the humility of the "winners "& the confidence of the "losers"; but mostly humbled by my own ability to overcome. In the week or so since the race, I seem to have garnered some undeserved respect for having covered 62+ miles. I feel this is completely ridiculous. I think anyone can run/walk 62+ miles if they had to.

The thing is, we don't have to...& I think that is what I am proudest of.

Don't understand? Well then, I guess you need to run an ultra.