6 Days At the Fair
AND that folks… is a wrap… two years ago I set out on a quest to finish my bachelor’s degree. Whether it was spurred by the
intense desire to know I could… or some quack hiccup in the brain, I emptied my bank account and signed up for night
school. It kind of almost killed me... working full time and trying to manage homework, family and my vintage clothing second job.. I must of been out of my mind.
But sometimes.. the craziest things happen.. in the verge of an almost complete breakdown during 4th quarter madness.... I somehow managed to sign up for a race..... that I wouldn’t even tell my husband I signed up for until a
few months before it happened. I mean how could I tell anyone that I plan
to run for 6 days???
A 6 DAY RACE........
HOW utterly...FANTASTIC.....!!!! Those words
and the thump of excitement in my heart I was in… I was going to run my first 6
day race as my graduation present to myself. VIOLA!
I chose to keep it quiet.. only mentioning it to family a few months later.. I didn't want anyone to think I was... crazy... I never even
explained to my boss and coworkers when I left work the Friday before the race
anything other than I was taking a week off work for vacation!
My plan going into the race was to have fun, enjoy a week away and off
work and doing the one thing that I just love to do… RUN. Of course I had a personal goal…making it to
200 miles for the 6 days. I also had a stretch goal of 250 miles
but since this was my first time doing anything like this.. I really had no idea what to expect.
Joe and I drove the 3 hours to the NJ fairgrounds on Mother's Day... the day before the race to
set up the RV and get me situated. Since
Joe had to work during the week, I drove the car behind the bus so he could drive home in his escape vehicle.
The night before the race was pleasantly restful listening to the rain and hoping that the
forecast of rain on each day was untrue.
I do like running in the rain.. but not sure how I felt about running in rain
for 6 days.
That peaceful pleasantness quickly dissipated when the next morning after a nice breakfast I received a knock on the RV...
A dude from
the fairgrounds came up to me and told me I had to move the RV. SAY WHAT? I had to move the RV. But I told him that the race director said it was ok to park here. NO sorry we are having another event later in the week you need to move now.
It was an hour and half before the start of
the race and I kind of just looked at him wide eyed like WHAT THE HELL? Seriously??? The thought of just getting in the RV an driving home was at the forefront of my mind. This is complete bull.
After some words back and forth and discussions with Rick (the race
director), the Mastripolito bus was moved. Not sure if I can fully explain how I kept my cool and got everything detached (water hose,
electric, etc) and the RV off the blocks and drove it to the new spot and then
reattached and back up on blocks and then finding out the electric wouldnt work in the "new" spot. But eventually things did work out and I made the start. I am sure I made some friends that day…
Day 1: As 9am rolled around.. I calmly walked to the start line hoping that my
fridge would be working in a few… and so the race begins.
I had no idea what pace to run but after watching the seasoned folks.. I
found my happy pace. And then the sun
came out… and it cooked me like an egg.
I had to find where the 10000 SPF was hiding and figure out a way to
keep the sun off me. By the end of the
evening I was sunburned, hot, and a little miserable... but I was pleased to have gotten in 40 miles… a shower.. some dinner.. and rest was in
order.
Day 2: Now because I retire early.. I am
up early. I am out on the course at 3 am. Its almost a relief as there were
many times at home I wanted to (and sometimes did) wake Joe at 2 am and ask if
he wanted to run with me outside …now I could run with my new friends and feel
safe.
It was really awesome to see others out on the course and although there
was not much talking there was a lot of acknowledgements and head nods.
I noticed that the carnies that had set up in
the field (I can only image that they were people who worked in a carnival
because of the giant bags of stuffed animals they had in the one trailer.. yeah
lets just not go there).. well the carnies were still up partying … and it was
now 3am..I am most certain that they would be heading to bed soon. The fairground did have some unusual folks.
Day 2 was interesting because again we thought it would rain and waited
all day for that storm. It was HUMID and
hot and I started to worry that I might have to stop running during the day for
fear that I was taking in too much sun.
I was already a running hot mess and where is that storm?! WELL… the storm came.. and just as I had
started another lap,… the gates of hell opened up… driving rain, wind,
lightening, thunder. I all about running
in rain but lightening NO.
I think I set
a new land speed record that lap that I got caught out there in. I did finish day 2 with 100 miles... VERY PLEASED.
Day 3, 4 and 5 all blended together… I had come to look forward to the
early morning wake up walks in the darkness with my friends… but the weather had serious multiple
personalities …
It rained.. and was warm.. then it was rain and cold.. it was sunny then rain.. it was hot.. then it was
cold… I had gone through 5 pairs of
sneakers and now my feet were swollen and blisters were starting to develop.
I had to figure out a way to stop this
because I need to be able to keep moving forward!
After trying a few things like walking in my bare-feet in the grass on
the side of the course and walking a few laps in recovery sandals..
I took
notice that one of the other racers had cut open their sneakers. BRILLIANT!
I hobbled to the RV and found the scissors and snip snip… I cut open my sneakers.. it was like the gates of heaven opened up.. IT WAS A MIRACLE.. I could walk.. and even run again!
Perhaps it was exhaustion or just because I am a big old klutz but
during one of the early mornings..
I tried to pass someone on the course.. yeah
don’t say it… and somehow got tangled up in my “hot” pants and fell on my face
and bloodied up the forearms. It was
kinda excruciating and humiliating.
But
thankfully I was picked up… by the gal I was trying to pass. Kinda funny though later in race when I saw
the sparkles I was wearing in my one jacket (that was tied upon my waist)
embedded into the ground.
Feeding myself was becoming a chore.. I remember that 4th or 5th night I
barely made it to the RV to get my TV dinner in before falling fast
asleep. I just was too tired to eat but
knew I needed to eat.. eating would help me make it to the end. This is when having a handler is so handy. The amount of clothes and shoes I
had strewed all over the RV was astounding.
To say I had to dig really…really deep to find that happy place would be
an understatement. But overall I learned that I was not alone... that when I was having a bad moment
there would be that special someone to walk and talk with me.. to encourage me
and make me laugh … I also learned who would pick me up if I were to
fall........
I made it to 200 miles
on Friday night ...I thought I was done... I had set out to
accomplish this and was set to retire but I still had a day left and was
told I needed to get to 202 miles…at least.. for the belt buckle.. Um
huh?
Day 6: These 6 days was like a camp for runners... not only did I have one of
the best weeks of my life... I also learned about how much I could handle and met
the most amazing people.
I went to bed on
Friday evening and woke up the next morning with the purpose to run my 2 miles and then stop.... I had a day left...
202 miles was more than I had run ever for a week and I had nothing to prove to
anyone...
But I just couldn’t just sit around and wait for Joe to pick me up.. he wasn’t
due to get there until dinner time.
So I
thought … oh what the hell..just get back out there ….Unfortunately or
fortunately the fall had somehow pulled a muscle or tendon in which it made it
actually painful to walk but if I did a slight shuffle run I felt ok. But how long could I actually run? I was getting really tired. And to be honest.. I had never run this far
in my life and that kinda freaked me out.
Joe arrived around dinner time on Saturday...with my pup Bessie.. and
boy that lifted my spirits…. I told him I was going to get in 50 more miles in... that would make it
250…
I am not even sure he could grasp that.... but having him at the
fairgrounds made me even stronger... I felt like I could do this.. and I would!
I started to stagger around 10:30pm...
I was
REALLY tired… I was way past my NAP
TIME... and I was determined to get in my 250 and then call it a night.
Those last miles that evening were hideous...
I wasn’t sure how I really did them since I felt like I was hallucinating. But I did it.. 250 miles... I was exhausted
and happy.
After running 200 miles I was somehow still able
to run an additional 50 miles… that realization was magical….PURE MAGICAL...
So I thought that would be the end of this magical week. BUT when I woke up
that last morning there
was a few hours left in the race...the race ended at 9am on Sunday… and with 250 miles on my feet, I laced up my shoes again… I
completed 8 more miles… to shine upon my
face.
258 miles in 6 days… one of the best weeks
of my life.
When you think you can not go on.. … KNOW YOU CAN.
The last day of the race was the day I was suppose to walk for my
graduation but chose to do do this race instead.. this was the best choice...
THANK YOU to everyone who was a part of my special day...
Please forgive me if I get this wrong but this is
how I remember our encounters......
THANK you to my Ultra Family....I met so many
wonderful and inspiring people during my 6 day race that I am not sure I can
fully show my appreciation or because of brain drain but here are some snippets:
- Thank you to our beloved
race director Rick and his wife Jenn for the fact that 1-1/2 hours prior
to the race I received a KNOCK on my RV from the fairgrounds crew that I
had to MOVE... the entire RV elsewhere because of a “special”
thing happening later that week at the fairgrounds... Rick did an amazing job of making me feel like it will be
ok.. even bringing me my race jacket and timing chip as I worked magic
with the fairgrounds crew to move the giant bus elsewhere.
- Thank you to Ken for
every stinking time we passed during the race you had something positive to say... I thought
who the hell does that in an 6 day race?
I grew especially found of looking for your cheerful chicken hat.. thank
you... you are the powerhouse in a dull world.
- Thank you to Darlene for that kick in the ass that I needed. 200...202.. why stop? It was also fairly fun to sprint behind
you in the thunderstorm!!
- Thank you to Fran for picking me up.. off the ground when I fell... I think I learned a lot in those few
minutes..that no matter how embarrassed and stupid I could feel... I
realized I was not alone.
- Thank you to Jim for telling
me I looked like his granddaughter and for encouraging me in my really bad
moments. I told you I was
struggling and you took the time to take my mind off those few laps. I
will be forever grateful.
- Thank you Deb because
when you stated people thought I was you.. that was such a compliment!!
- Thank you to Scotty
because you are what I hope to be.
I felt honored to be a part of your record breaking performance.
- Thank you to Ann for cheering me up.. and my fun little moving interview...You inspired me when I first
started running many moons ago.. and THANK You for being such an amazing
human being.
- Thank you to Ethel & Kerry because I would never have known about the race if it wasnt for your past posts! I am so sorry I may have sprinted past you once or twice without saying hi.. but those
were the laps I had to get to the potty!
LOL.
- Thank you to Amy because
I just enjoyed watching you run... you kept me memorized that someone could
run so proficiently and fast. And
then when you showed up at the awards dressed up... I was super
impressed. You are a class act!
- Thank you to Yoshiko for
the awesome photos of the race and capturing me at my “finest” I really
appreciate it.. I am glad when I looked down and asked if you were ok...
as you were wriggling around on the ground with a huge smile on your face
after one of your phenomenal marathons you said with a smile you were great...
just made me smile.
- Thank you to John for
braving the killer trash can and proving that Ultra runners are TOUGH!
- Thank you to Shamus for
the great recap posts... NAP LAP!
- Thank you to the most
amazing volunteers ever.. I LOVED my pancakes.. the tater tots, chicken
soup and replacing those darn oranges.. THANK YOU!!
AND the biggest THANK YOU to Joe for driving the big old bus the 3 hours
to the fairgrounds, setting it up.. and then driving the 3 hours home.. for not worrying about me for a week
while I did something I really wanted to do... and for actually coming back for me and
being my biggest cheerleader.
You have
been there for every epic moment and I couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for the 3 hour drive home with the
bus and navigating the “closed” roads due to the aftermath of that epic storm
earlier in the week. I can’t believe we
made it home!
PS: Having to go back to work the
day after the race was tough especially since I had to find a creative way to
cover the feet with sandals I had to wear due to swollen and blistered feet and
trying to look business professional... but I wouldn’t change a thing.
The best graduation present ever... Three days after the race I picked
up my degree.
After some words back and forth and discussions with Rick (the race
director), the Mastripolito bus was moved. Not sure if I can fully explain how I kept my cool and got everything detached (water hose,
electric, etc) and the RV off the blocks and drove it to the new spot and then
reattached and back up on blocks and then finding out the electric wouldnt work in the "new" spot. But eventually things did work out and I made the start. I am sure I made some friends that day… 
Day 2: Now because I retire early.. I am
up early. I am out on the course at 3 am. Its almost a relief as there were
many times at home I wanted to (and sometimes did) wake Joe at 2 am and ask if
he wanted to run with me outside …now I could run with my new friends and feel
safe. 
After trying a few things like walking in my bare-feet in the grass on
the side of the course and walking a few laps in recovery sandals..
I tried to pass someone on the course.. yeah
don’t say it… and somehow got tangled up in my “hot” pants and fell on my face
and bloodied up the forearms. It was
kinda excruciating and humiliating. 
Joe arrived around dinner time on Saturday...with my pup Bessie.. and
boy that lifted my spirits…. I told him I was going to get in 50 more miles in... that would make it
250…
SOOO as I mentioned I got rid of all the things I needed to
sell… and then it happened. I happened
upon the mother of all auctions.
Auctions for me have been a great way to obtain treasures at a low price
and I just clean the items up and either keep or resell and so I just so happen
to stumble upon this auction in June that to be honest has to be one of the
freakiest finds ever.
SOOOOOOOOO off I go in my SUV to an auction in Jersey to get
me some vintage dresses. The ad for the
auction stated 200-300 dresses. I just
had to see this for myself. The hour and
20 min drive in the rain and parking in a large field looking over the rusting
masses of items on this farm and cant image 200-300 dresses of any quality
being anywhere near this place and so a little disappointed feeling I said well
I mines well at least inquire because I
did walk up early and drive all the way here. And so I got out of the truck and
walked through ankle high grass to the barn to ask.
