Jack Bristol Lake Waramaug 50K
Jack Bristol Lake Waramaug 50K
So I cant even begin to tell you how long its taken me to actually grow enough bravery to actually sign up for this race. I can joke and tell you its my friend tracy's fault that I finally did it. But the reality is, sometimes your friends are the ones that know you well enough to know what you are capable of doing.
An ultramarathon seems daunting. You can do the “its only 5 more miles” argument easily enough, but it seems scary. I've contemplated this race for probably 5 years. There's even been a few years where ive said I would do it, and then just never did. I barely had the energy to go to work most days, and I had even contemplated stopping running marathons, let alone an ultra, because I had a job that was sucking the life right out of me. But this year was a year of big changes for me. I left that awful job. I started eating better. I started paying attention to what * I* needed. So Tracy and I made a deal- I'd run Lake Waramaug, and she'd train with me for us to run Boston qualifiers at Boston, so we cold run Boston in 2020.
So I finally signed up one cold day in March. And thankfully I had some guidance on some long runs after that- talks of strategy- whats worked in the past, what hasnt, some of the different theories. And then there was Race Eve pizza. That was awesome. So was the wonderful night's sleep that comes with consuming that many carbs.
The drive out to New Preston is really pretty, the hour or so just flew by. The northwest corner of the state is more untouched by the gross population density that's poisoning the 91 corridor, so its such a breath of fresh air to be out there. Or it would be. If it wasn't raining. Like lube up your entire body with Aquaphor raining. Which is what I did. Right down to the skin creases of my little pinkie toes.
Got to the race site, grabbed my bib, and what is quite a nice shirt- has the logo for the race, and that's its. Nicely understated, not loaded with race sponsor stuff on the back. Plenty of portalets, which is always a relief. Hung out with Tracy, avoided the rain, and soon enough, time to go. Its right around 50, but pretty chilly, so long sleeves and thin gloves it is. I'm figuring i'll shed them if it ever warms up, but its supposed to rain most of the race, so not likely.
I learn an interesting thing about ultras(or at least this ultra)- no one wants to be the first up at the start line. At a shorter race, you are often fighting through the crowd just to get seeded somewhere reasonable. But everyone is laid back. Final instructions for the race director, and we are off!
First leg of this race is a 2.2 mile out and back- we will see this road along during the race, as its also on the loops we will be doing 3 times. We are the only ones running this direction, as the 50 Mile and the 100K both started an hour earlier than us. The road rolls a little bit here, but just enough to relieve your legs, not enough to be anything challenging. I'm the first woman at this point, this is a small race, with only 52 total finishers, 24 of which are women. I grab some water at the first turnaround, and have a few bites of honey stinger waffles. This is a long distance, and I do not intend to blow up along the way. I hit the first turnaround, then head back toward the start for the 3 loops around the lake, followed by one last out and back. As I get towards the start, my garmin tells me ive had a quick mile- didn't feel like it, but you never know- race miles always feel different than regular miles.
I head along the Lake(thats whats best about this race- just keep the lake on your left, and you cant get lost), and another woman catches up to me- shes also doing the 50K, her first as well. Shes looking stronger, and at only 5 miles in, I'm not chasing her. This is my first, and my one and only goal is to finish and enjoy it. The rain is actually a blessing today- its keeping it cool, which doesn't always happen at the end of April. This is the toughest section of the race- there's one less aid station this year, we go a little over 4 miles in this stretch- id made sure to grab 2 waters at the start line aid station, and ill grab 2 at the next as well.
My garmin continues to try to tell me I'm running 8 min miles through this stretch, but no way does it feel like that. I hit the aid station at the beach, and they are well stocked! I grab myself a piece of pb&j and some coke, and head on my way. Hunger is different when you running, at least for me anyway. Food often tastes better when I'm eating while running, than it does at other times. And let me tell it, that was like the best pb&j I think ive had.
I hit the start line- my first loop is done! Only 2 more and an out and back to go. I look at the garmin, it says ive got 13 something miles done. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. That's not right. Know how food is awesome while running? Know whats not awesome while running? My math skills. I keep trying to figure out how 2.2 + 2.2 + 7.6 = 13 something, when it should have been 12. I try desperately to account for the garmin margin of error, and its still not coming up right. Needless to say, this kept me entertained for probably the next 5-6 miles, all while my garmin keeps telling me I'm running 8 min miles that have the fatigue feeling of 9 min miles.
Its also somewhere along this loop that I look down, and realize there's blood on my legs. Awesome. All that rain that kept me cool? Apparently is also rained through all my anti chafe measure. I do a body scan- nothing is screaming on fire, so its probably just the band of my shorts, that's the most likely culprit because of those strong girl thighs ive got. I hit the aid station that's at the end of the 2.2 mile out and back, and ask if anyone has vaseline. They do! I may or may not have squealed and jumped up and down like a 3 year old on Christmas morning. I grab a sandwich in one hand, a big glob of vaseline in the other, and run over to the portalet. I check- thankfully the only injury are the thighs- I'm putting the vaseline on, and its bleeding through while I'm putting it on. eh. At least it doesn't hurt. It'll hurt later, but it doesn't right now. I get my skirt all fixed again, grab my sandwich(id been holding it in my mouth), and off I go. I come out of the portalet- its a woman! I literally said, “oh hell no!” and took off like a rocket. I already let one woman pass me, I'm not letting another. Nothing like competition to light a fire under you, and this did. I doubt I was running the sub 8's my crazy garmin was telling me, but its all good. I am still feeling good at this point- apparently I run well on honey stinger waffles, pb&j, and coke/mountain dew.
I pass the start line for the second time, grab a couple sodas and some oreos...have I mentioned that Tracy described running this race as “a buffet”? I really like the race setup of loops- I know some runners don't like the repetition, but for me, I can say, ive got 2 out and backs and 3 loops. And that seems a lot easier than 31 miles. The rain is starting to slow at this point, but thankfully its not getting that warm humidity that sometimes happens after the rain. I definitely don't need to take the gloves off. While I'm on this loop, one of the other runners asks what ive got for mileage asks me about mileage- apparently his garmin is misbehaving. I tell him mile says 23 miles, which throws him off- he didn't realize I was a loop ahead. I also tell him that its not right, its a couple miles ahead of what it should be. I think. Ive reached the point in the race where I barely know my own name, let alone demonstrate any capability for complex math such as adding 2.2 + 2.2 + 7.6 + 7.6 + something...... we wish each other luck, and I keep plugging along.
Food is getting a little harder to chew at this point, I'm mostly just grabbing a couple sodas at each aid station, which really works wonders. Its liquid, and its calories. And apparently doesn't wreck my stomach like gatorade. I spend the rest of this loop contemplating while races don't just serve soda. Its cheaper, and works better.
I hit the start line, and ask how long I have left. I think that threw the volunteers off a little bit, and I told them my garmin had lost its mind at some point- it was telling me id already run 30 miles, and I still had the 1.9 mile out and back to go. I went on my way, and who do I see? The lead woman! I work on just keeping a steady pace, and I actually start reeling her in a little. On the far side of the loop, I finally catch her, and we run a few tenths of a mile together to the turn around. We chat a few minutes, and then she heads off. I'm finally starting to feel tired by this point, and shes got a little more than me in the tank. As I'm coming back in, I see Tracy, running with Jason, and she gives me a high 5 and tells me to go catch her. I try, I really do. But man, those last miles are HARD. I push as much as I can, and the runners heading the other direction(either still on loops, or on their last out and back) give me encouragement, but it doesn't happen. I see her finish, and then stumble run into the finish, a measley 37 seconds behind her. 31 miles, and I finished second by 37 seconds. But this was still a huge accomplishment! I finished my first 50K (yes, I said first. Not “one and only”). I'm cant be more happy with how it went.
I waited under the first tent, watching for Tracy to come in, and chatting with some of the others that had finished. Tracy comes in in a great time of 5:17. We spend some time warming up, and changing in to some drier clothes.
And that crazy business with the wonky paces and the extra miles(34.7 when race was 31...)? yep, that would be a garmin that lost gps by mile 5. And apparently this model doesn't tell you when you've lost signal, so you're just left wondering why nothing makes sense.
Even finishing this up a little over a month after I ran the race, its still fresh in my mind. I definitely enjoyed the whole experience, and cant wait to run this race again.
