Blog

I made it.  I didn’t have the race I was expecting, but I’d bet that not many people out there this weekend did.  It was hotter than anyone predicted (the high in Noble Canyon was supposedly over 100 degrees) and the heat definitely took its toll on the racers.  

I did an awful job managing nutrition, hydration and electrolytes at the beginning of the race and paid for that failure price in a huge way.  The cramps began setting in around mile 20 and between miles 25 and 51, I barely ran a step because every time I tried to run, my calves or hamstrings or quads would seize up.  At the mile 51 aid station (Sunrise 1), my whole body went into spasms and I ended up spending 35 minutes there, drinking, eating and trying to get my muscles to relax.  I thought there was no way I would be able to finish the race.  But I got back up and started moving.  I focused intensely on nutrition, hydration and electrolytes and was able to have a pretty decent second half of the race.  

I didn’t achieve my dream goal (21 hours), my hopeful goal (22:00), my realistic goal (22:30) or my back-up goal (sub-24).  But I did learn some very very important lessons about how low you can get and still bounce back.  It would have been very easy for me to drop out of the race – and I’m sorta surprised I didn’t – but, with the help of an amazing crew and other friends, I dug deep and willed myself to not give up until or unless I absolutely had to.  

Speaking of that amazing crew and friends, before I go to sleep tonight, I want to make sure to thank a bunch of people without whom I never would have made it through the race:  

• My parents and Elizabeth, who got up with me at 3:45 Saturday morning and crewed me until I crossed the finish line and kept going until I was home in San Diego and fed. 
• Billy and Elan (pictured above), who paced me from 51 to the finish line, and made sure I stayed on top of my essentials while pushing me to keep moving forward. 
• Jason Obirek, Brian Recore, Sally and Jimmy, who stepped in with great advice from years of ultrarunning and crewing experience to help my parents and Elizabeth get me back to life.  
• Anna, the aid station volunteer at Sunrise 1 who took care of me and helped get rid of my spasms and get me back on the course. 

Full race report with photos to come soon(ish)!