I trained for a year for the Javelina Jundred and Saturday it arrived. Sadly, I didn't finish. Here is my blog report:
http://www.run-ultragrrl.com/
Or read here:
I’ve been struggling with how to write this post. I’m not sure whether I should wax philosophically about what happened at Javelina or kick into the standard “this happened this mile, than this happened this mile, than I stopped.” I think this might be a multi-post story. To find out, let’s get started.
The Javelina Jundred 100 Mile Endurance Run
Bottom line - I dropped at 37 miles. I didn’t finish what I started out to do and I’m very disappointed. I trained for a year for this, spent a lot of $ to travel there and to not hit my goal is tough to take.
There are complex reasons behind why I didn’t finish but the straw that broke the camel’s back is that I had been fighting a cold for 3 days leading up to the race. The coughing started on Tuesday, on Wednesday I was genuinely worried and when I flew down to Phoenix on Thursday I knew I was in trouble. I stopped at an Urgent Care clinic, was told it was allergies and given two prescriptions for nasal spray. Those didn’t help AT ALL.
I slept well Thursday night but the coughing didn’t get any better by Friday. I got hardly any sleep Friday night before the race.
My friend Marilyn who flew down with me to also race was incredibly patient with me. I was not a fun person to travel with. Friday night my bff Maria flew in to help me get through the run by crewing and pacing me. She also had to deal with listening to me coughing and keeping her awake.
As soon as I started running I knew it was going to be a long day. I just couldn’t get clicked into a mental rhythm. I knew the course was difficult to find a running pace so that didn’t bother me as much as not being able to shake a terrible case of the Mondays. The mental battle was going to be much worse than the physical.
As the miles went by my coughing got worse. I couldn’t run much because the dirt and dust would get sucked into my lungs. I ended up walking quite a bit because of that and so I lost a lot of time. When I got to the main aid station after the first loop the tears started because I was suffering and the day wasn’t going well already. I decided to start on the second loop and cranked up the Lady Gaga to get me moving. She helped distract me and my mood got better. I was still walking but I was doing 17 minute miles and if I could keep that up I might be able to pull it off.
When I got back to the main aid station after the second loop I checked my watch. The first two loops, 50k, took me 9 hours. There wasn’t any way the 100 miles was going to happen. I had to let that go and I did. I decided to go for the 100k and started on the third lap. I got a couple miles in and realized I was slowing down again. I did a body inventory and realized I was sore, tired and my lungs and throat were killing me. I was still coughing, now so hard I was almost getting sick.
It was at 33.5 miles that I decided to pull the plug. I realized pushing myself to finish the 100k wasn’t going to accomplish anything other than make me much sicker and potentially get me pneumonia. I also have already gotten the 100k buckle and I don’t need another one. That race was about doing something I’d never done before, not repeating previous accomplishments.
I texted hubby, coach Brian, then Maria to let them all know I was dropping. I was going to make it to the 35 mile aid station but when I texted with Maria she said there wasn’t any way for them to come get me so I turned around and walked back. Came out to 37ish miles.
An athlete has to know when to pull the plug for their long term health. If I was Coach Brian, I would tell me the same thing my coach did, I made the right decision. Intellectually I know I did the right thing. I could have made myself far sicker.
Emotionally, I’m pissed. I feel like I failed. I set a goal and I didn’t achieve it. I know, I covered 37 miles. There are few people who have ever done that, let alone doing it when sick. I know, I’m part of a unique crowd. But, I also failed.
I’m still processing all of this. I’m thinking about what I want to do next year. So far, I’m made my coach promise not to let me sign up for a 100 mile. 100k maybe, not 100 miles. I need more time to get ready and to get through the recovery my body needs right now.
More posts are coming so stay tuned.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jen
"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
http://www.run-ultragrrl.com/
Or read here:
I’ve been struggling with how to write this post. I’m not sure whether I should wax philosophically about what happened at Javelina or kick into the standard “this happened this mile, than this happened this mile, than I stopped.” I think this might be a multi-post story. To find out, let’s get started.
The Javelina Jundred 100 Mile Endurance Run
Bottom line - I dropped at 37 miles. I didn’t finish what I started out to do and I’m very disappointed. I trained for a year for this, spent a lot of $ to travel there and to not hit my goal is tough to take.
There are complex reasons behind why I didn’t finish but the straw that broke the camel’s back is that I had been fighting a cold for 3 days leading up to the race. The coughing started on Tuesday, on Wednesday I was genuinely worried and when I flew down to Phoenix on Thursday I knew I was in trouble. I stopped at an Urgent Care clinic, was told it was allergies and given two prescriptions for nasal spray. Those didn’t help AT ALL.
I slept well Thursday night but the coughing didn’t get any better by Friday. I got hardly any sleep Friday night before the race.
My friend Marilyn who flew down with me to also race was incredibly patient with me. I was not a fun person to travel with. Friday night my bff Maria flew in to help me get through the run by crewing and pacing me. She also had to deal with listening to me coughing and keeping her awake.
As soon as I started running I knew it was going to be a long day. I just couldn’t get clicked into a mental rhythm. I knew the course was difficult to find a running pace so that didn’t bother me as much as not being able to shake a terrible case of the Mondays. The mental battle was going to be much worse than the physical.
As the miles went by my coughing got worse. I couldn’t run much because the dirt and dust would get sucked into my lungs. I ended up walking quite a bit because of that and so I lost a lot of time. When I got to the main aid station after the first loop the tears started because I was suffering and the day wasn’t going well already. I decided to start on the second loop and cranked up the Lady Gaga to get me moving. She helped distract me and my mood got better. I was still walking but I was doing 17 minute miles and if I could keep that up I might be able to pull it off.
When I got back to the main aid station after the second loop I checked my watch. The first two loops, 50k, took me 9 hours. There wasn’t any way the 100 miles was going to happen. I had to let that go and I did. I decided to go for the 100k and started on the third lap. I got a couple miles in and realized I was slowing down again. I did a body inventory and realized I was sore, tired and my lungs and throat were killing me. I was still coughing, now so hard I was almost getting sick.
It was at 33.5 miles that I decided to pull the plug. I realized pushing myself to finish the 100k wasn’t going to accomplish anything other than make me much sicker and potentially get me pneumonia. I also have already gotten the 100k buckle and I don’t need another one. That race was about doing something I’d never done before, not repeating previous accomplishments.
I texted hubby, coach Brian, then Maria to let them all know I was dropping. I was going to make it to the 35 mile aid station but when I texted with Maria she said there wasn’t any way for them to come get me so I turned around and walked back. Came out to 37ish miles.
An athlete has to know when to pull the plug for their long term health. If I was Coach Brian, I would tell me the same thing my coach did, I made the right decision. Intellectually I know I did the right thing. I could have made myself far sicker.
Emotionally, I’m pissed. I feel like I failed. I set a goal and I didn’t achieve it. I know, I covered 37 miles. There are few people who have ever done that, let alone doing it when sick. I know, I’m part of a unique crowd. But, I also failed.
I’m still processing all of this. I’m thinking about what I want to do next year. So far, I’m made my coach promise not to let me sign up for a 100 mile. 100k maybe, not 100 miles. I need more time to get ready and to get through the recovery my body needs right now.
More posts are coming so stay tuned.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jen
"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce