24 Hours - 80 Miles

Friday, July 15, 2011
OMG.. I AM SOO EXCITED ….!

I just got done picking up my race packet for my 24 hour race. They took my vitals: weight, blood pressure, internal body temperature, heart rate and respiration. They needed numbers to compare to in case, well.. I didn’t look to good on the course tomorrow.

I can’t believe I’m doing this… !!

Lone Ranger Website: The Stroehmann Back on My Feet Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon has become one of the most popular Ultras in the country. It’s for experienced runners who want to test themselves to see how many 8.4-mile laps they can do around Philly's Schuylkill River Running Loop in 24 hours. See the course here.

The race will be capped at 300 runners and starts at 10 am on Saturday, July 16th, 2011 in front of Lloyd Hall (One Boat House Row) and ends at 10 am on Sunday, July 17th. Each time you pass The Beneficial Bank Starting Line, your time and mileage will be recorded. There is no minimum or maximum number of loops Lone Rangers have to run, but there will be awards for those running 50 miles and 100 miles. Lone Rangers can start and stop at any point during the 24 hours to rest, eat, sleep, chill, get a massage, etc. Please note that all Lone Rangers must be 18-years old

Saturday, July 16, 2011
5:00 am: up and ready to roll… truck is packed with tent and gear ..on road by 5:45am..Philly here we come! Yeah its already 73 degrees…its going to be a warm one!

When we arrived it was a bit like a carnival, with runners, and cars, and police, and dogs, and bikers, and just plan general madness and its only 6:30 in the morning.. . eh gads!… Thankfully, Joe and I had a plan and we executed it with skilled precision.

We double parked at the gear drop, emptied the entire contents of the truck (which by the way, anyone who knows me .. I don’t travel light), then Joe whisked the truck away to find a parking spot and I lugged the gear to a near perfect spot…. for our “home away from home” for the next few days..

We choose to put up a 10x10 canopy and a small 5x6 tent.. a couple chairs, and a cooler.. and a “Party is here mat”… now time to sort the clothes, food, and medical equipment. Sniff. Sniff… yeah should be nice… I haven’t even run yet and I smell like a bog turtle.




The goal: Run 75-85 miles… with the ultimate goal of trying to run 100 miles.

AH, so finally let’s rest a bit and wait for the start…. THIS IS JUST SOOO DAMN EXCITING!

Keeping myself calm is always difficult… but extremely important.. its not like I am running the 400 meter dash…I need to remain.. C-A-L-M..


I got to meet a couple fellow runners.. Phil Anderson one of the co-founders of the Hat Run 50K Ultra run, he was here to check off doing another ultra…

I also will meet up with Hannah a girl who also did ChesapeakeMan (but I wouldn’t see her until I am on the course)…. And “ladybug girl” Juliane, who ran the entire 24 hours in a lady bug costume.. yeah sounds like something I would do… now doesn’t it!!!!!?

Its soo nice to have like minded people around…. I don’t feel so… crazy…

And then voila, time to line up… and
10:00am and we are off…

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LAP 1 (0-8.45 miles) Time: 10:00-11:27am (total time 1-1/2 hrs)

Well you remember that excitement I had about an hour ago?

Yeah, you can wipe that right off my face… jostling tons of people on a small running path, annoyed that TONS OF PEOPLE where in my personal space… unable to formulate any type of rhythm.....I TRIED NOT to run into the back of people..nor give them the finger.. would not be nice… ultra runners must be nice….I need to be nice..

It was starting to get really hot out… and sigh… OMG did I mention HOT!? I was trying to keep around a 10:30 min mile pace and didn’t walk during this first lap .. I found a group of men that appeared to be running quietly (not talking) and I tucked in behind them for a few miles. They kept me on pace and I got the approval nod of ok you can stay here as long as you don’t talk… I was good to go.

A few miles later my man group had dwindled to two .. me and he.. and so I had to pick up a new group to run with … a couple gals… ladybug girl and Hannah

They say that this first lap is usually the hardest and I have to admit I think it was…
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Lap 2 (8.45 miles – 16.9 miles) Time 11:27am-1:08pm (total time 3 hrs) *approx times

I finished the end of Lap 1 with an older man who said I should do the Comrades Ultra in South Africa with their group.. I told him I had soo wanted to do that, but not now.. thanks. So I start Lap 2 with a wave and smile and pic from Joe! See you soon honey.

BTW I want a water ice at next break!! Love you!!!

Lap 2 was definitely easier than lap 1.. I understood that I needed to really watch my pace. I got myself into a rhythm and just stuck with it. I loved the fact they had fresh iced washcloths for us to put on our head. It was blazing hot out and some dude mentioned that at least its not as hot as it could be.. dude its almost 85 degrees .. ok so maybe its not 100 but don’t make me pummel you to death… .

Yes I know running is suppose to make you feel relaxed, euphoric, happy, blissful, or something like that..but I told you .. 75% of my runs are painful.. I am guessing the remaining 25% are annoying!

So I get to the half way point of the lap.. at aid station 4 .. remember this.. this will be a very important aid station for me… its at mile 4.12 of the 8.45 mile loop.

SO I get to the aid station and I go to get my drop off bag (which has my perpetium and refueling stuff) and I go to fill up my water bottle with water to mix my drink and one of the volunteers REFUSES to allow me to take a full bottle of water, saying… “You can’t have that.. we are running out of water…"

OK.. so the expression on my face was BEYOND priceless …. I was literary ABOUT to RIP HER EYEBALLS OUT..

I think she realized after she said it and after I stood there looking at her with razor blades shooting out of my eyes that she better let me fill my damn water bottle NOW… and so she did..I MEAN WTF!?

NOTE: this was only two hours into the race… I AM thinking I SURE HOPE she ain’t serious about them running out of water already... lets put that aside.. because all of the other volunteers I encountered during the entire 24 hours were wonderful ……..

So I leave aid station 4.. ANNOYED!

I finished lap 2… and Joe got me my water ice@@@@!… YEAH!!!! I head to the tent to change my shoes and rest. Jim Standish… our dear friend had surprised us with a visit… between the two of them I felt like a queen… they both made sure I got juice, fuel, and what I needed.

And then they made sure I was promptly… BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN…..

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Lap 3 (16.9 miles – 25.35 miles) Time 1:08-3:18pm (total time 5 hrs) 15 min break *approx times

I was starting to feel a bit nauseous during the last loop and it was really started to bother me NOW. I think it was the heat… It was just REALLY SOO HOT OUT… . and I couldn’t get enough cooling rags on my head. This is SO NOT fun.!!.

NOT FUN … AT ALL!!!

I was trying to think of the reason WHY I wanted to run around in the heat and cook my brain..WHY !

When I signed up last October I was sitting in my cushy office and looking out to a beautiful crisp fall day… just saying…

While I was doing the whole hold my mouth with my hand routine so I didn’t vomit, a fellow runner came up to me and said that if I stuck my finger down my throat ...it would make me throw up.. and I would then feel better. And she said this all with a smile saying this worked for her… um…Thanks?

And UM... I THINK NOT!

So pleasant to know that others are suffering too ..

I ended lap 3 wishing I could throw myself in front of a truck, just to make sure I would have a valid reason to go to the hospital.. life sucks…

SUCKS..........
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Lap 4 (25.35 miles – 33.8 miles) Time 3:18-6:30pm (total time 8 hrs) 20 min break *approx times

The guys allowed me an extended break this time.. I think they felt pity on my sick ass… allowing 20 mins instead of 15 mins… yahoo.. .. my crew rocks…

I had a bit of turkey sandwich, and some juice… OK.. GOSH… Jim pointed to the watch and joe gave me a little pat .. time for you to go out .. AGAIN. ...

ITS HOT.. did I mention,.. that?! HOT… Yeah I am sure I did…

So this is my last solo lap, I will be able to pick up my pacer at the next lap..

WOW I am violently ill… I don’t think my pacers are going to get much run out of me… yeah its kinda ugly..

WTF was I thinking.. I have16 hours left..

OMFG…………..

As I’m walking and feeling a lot of a bit sorry for myself, I see an angel.. ok so maybe this is why people love the people that keep them prisoner... I see my friend Jen Raley who drove all the way up from Dover, Delaware with her family to see me… I thought I would cry…

She told me Molly and Claudia (tri baby friends) all were wishing me well... seriously I am going cry.. you can stop now..

We walked together for a bit, and then a bit of running and YES, I’m done lap 4!

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Lap 5 (33.8 miles – 42.25 miles) Time 6:30-9:14pm (total time 10 hrs) 21 min break *approx times
PACER: Megan Murray

The tent was full of excitement.. not only had Megan my first official pacer arrived and was ready for duty, Gary my second pacer was already there… and the entire Jen clan (4+ kids and hubby) and Jim and Joe.. it was a giant party!

I changed my clothes, I got some fuel and gathered all the energies from my wonderful crew… and then they sent me back out.. AGAIN…………

I had to apologize to Megan that I would have to walk a bit because I couldn’t get rid of this nauseous feeling and she and I talked and walked… and I realized that it was now 7pm and I had actually been in motion, with a couple breaks, for over 9 hours.. WOW…

I started to have a problem actually trying to pee, sorry to be so graphic but I think I wasn’t getting in enough water or enough salt or something.. and the last thing I wanted was to end up with my kidneys shutting down over something like this..

Megan is a nurse so I wasn’t worried … but I was SICK of drinking … and so I ended up sucking on ice cubes.. but the pee thing had me a little considered.

I hit every port-a-pot on the way around.. trying to pee.. I felt the need to pee.. just nothing

Megan and I did get to run a bit… probably a total of maybe 3 miles during the whole 8.45 mile lap. Much less running than I thought but given the condition I was in .. I was lucky
And then…. We were done lap 5…

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Lap 6 (42.25 miles – 50.7 miles) Time 9:14-11:30pm (total time: 13hrs) 21 min break *approx times
PACER: Gary Perkins
I headed to my favorite place.. the tent… changing once again to longer sleeves as I was starting to chill from the light sunburn and noticed it was starting to get dark…

Tom my pacer after Gary was already there too… Megan headed home and said she would have a beer for me… I thanked her and wished her well…

Gary got his reflective vest on and the guys helped me with mine… and after a craving for an apple and ice tea I was back out on the road AGAIN..

I started lap 6 walking.. but I have to admit it was an extremely FAST walk. Gary is a speed walker and even though I was ready at times to blow chunks I had to keep up with him in order to save face.. you know…

The setting of the sun was nice.. I started to feel better. Someone from a car threw a light stick at us.. I picked it up. I would have to say this lap had the most drama. We saw wildlife ( a raccoon in a trash can), men fishing in the Schuylkill (like would you really eat anything you caught from there?), and yeah a runner got MUGGED.. and now they were instructing everyone , especially women to have a pacer with them at all times...

After the mugging drama… and me hitting every port-a-pot in the attempts to pee I finally got to aid station 6 and viola pee… so we ran in the last couple of miles… and Gary got hollered at for entering the wrong finish chute…

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Lap 7 (50.7 miles – 59.15 miles) Time 11:30pm-3:00am (total time: 16hrs) 25 min break *approx times
PACER: Tom Howe


Each break seemed to take a bit longer.. my brain was slowly seizing… but I felt really good.. and to have my friends around me helped a lot.

The guys informed me that at this point I was 19th place female out of like 70+ females.. and I was now at the most I had ever run… I was thrilled!

Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Midnight Race was ready to start and all the crazy runners dressed in glow sticks were lining up to run one lap.. soon we would have entertainment on the course.

I was still wondering how the heck the guy with the large Christmas tree lights hanging around his neck would stayed lit? I MEAN did he have to carry a big battery!?? Gary hung out with Joe for a bit as Tom and I headed out for lap 7…

Tom was also very gracious in being ok with walking.. I was feeling ok but needed to walk .. Tom is actually quite funny.. we were walking along in the dark and we hear a couple of really loud bangs..BANG …BANG.. like gunshots… we kinda looked at each other.. So we picked up the pace a bit.. and then Tom said, “heck maybe you just moved up a couple of places?”

We heard more loud bangs and I yelled out.. "Yahoo… another place!" … SICK I KNOW….
A train went by and Tom mentioned, "Wow it’s a train… " - silly country folks..

I screamed out loud… loud enough to wake the dead… “ OMG THERE IS A TRAIN IN PHILLY!!!..”

Sarcasm and stupid folk.. . I spit on myself.. and yeah

So Tom let me walk a lot in silence.. and occasionally when I winced in pain he gently patted my back… it was nice that he was holding my water bottle.. I couldn’t hold it any longer.. that one pound was just too damn HEAVY..

I stopped in the middle of the path… “Don’t want to go on”.. Tom very gently, without saying anything lightly pushed my back and moved me forward.. and I was walking again…

So I told him .. since he had the light , that he needed to stand outside the port-a-pot and point it at the stall so I could see inside while I was in there… of course when a woman went by with a concerned look about reporting him to the police , finally Tom had enough sense to say.. "OH I am shining a light in there for my runner to see"… (yeah peeping tom)

Tom swears there was something slithery under the bridge that touched his leg.. lovely.. my pacers are hallucinating and not me.

Because I am a child at heart,… I started to collect every single glow stick that had fallen off the midnight runners who passed…and then enlisted Tom to do the same… just saying.. crazy

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Lap 8 (59.15 miles – 67.6 miles) Time 3:00am – 6:30am(total time: 20hrs) ??? mins of breaks *approx times
PACER: Joe Mastripolito
Zombie girl… and its time to start Lap 8.. I think I had the rest of the turkey sandwich.. it was time to continue on…. Joe was my pacer for Lap 8.

He was soo sweet with his kind words of "FINALLY I get to pace you."

OH heck I completely forgot to mention. Since joe KNEW I would be walking when he had to pace me .. he decided back when I was doing lap 4 that he would run a lap himself in the heat by himself “as exercise”… um.. yeah… and you call me crazy.
So Joe and I are off to the world of the dead.. no one is really up.. even in Philly… except these really nutty ultra runners… .and so began another 3 hour lap…

.. Joe stumbled (he didn’t tell me until later that he actually feel asleep while walking)… I myself had a bit of trouble with listing to the right… … I am sure we looked a fine pair…

The Pajama Run was going to start at 6am and we would have some early morning entertainment…

Daylight was a welcome sign..

THANK GOD only a few hours of this shit left.

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Lap 9 (67.6 miles – 76.05 miles) Time 6:30am – 9:00am (total time: 23hrs) ??? mins of breaks *approx times
PACER: Dana Daugherty

Dana met us at the start line with donuts and coffee.. he is a god.. how perfect!!!

I really didn’t think I would make it around Lap 9 before it hit 10am.. I felt mentally spent… this is when having a good crew comes in handy.. they are your brain when your brain gets fuzzy, They are there to make sure you eat, drink, and watch your health. They think for you.. they are your other you.

Joe instructed Dana to make sure I am drinking every 10 minutes.. Joe said I was refusing to drink and to make sure I did. And OFF we go AGAIN..

KILL ME NOW.. I am in no mood to do this course anymore.. sick of it.. SICK …SICK…SICK.. OF IT… nothing was crossing my mind. I was an empty shell of voidness..

Dana did say that he was surprised I didn’t look like walking death, was shocked that I was moving pretty well for the beating I did to myself, that I walked too damn fast, and that I spent 98% of my time looking straight ahead.

Then something happen….I started to run... we ended up running the last 2.5 miles of this lap. It was like I was possessed… I finished this lap… 76.104 miles and have one hour left on the clock… the officials ask if I am going to continue on or stop…

I have been in a state of movement for 23+ hours .. and there never was a question.. I am continuing on..

My goal was to just walk until the clock stopped..and have the sag wagon pick us up.. Joe’s goal was completely different…

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Start of Lap 10 ( 76.05 miles – to 80 miles) Time 9:00am – 10:00am(total time: 1hr) NO BREAKS *approx times
PACER: Joe Mastripolito
*****The rules say each partial lap, depending on where you are, are counted. At this point, they started to use the rubber bracelet system.. For each aid station you passed you got a rubber bracelet. There are three points on the 8.45 mile course that you can get bracelets at approx mile 2, 4, and 6.

Here is my breakdown:
• If I would get to aid station 2 I would be at 78.63 miles

• If I would get to aid station 4 I would be at 80.224 miles

NOTE: If you are in-between aid stations when the clock runs out, you will only get whatever mileage you had from the aid station you passed NOT the aid station you are closer to. So thus you needed to get that next aid stations if you are close!

KAPESH?

I HAVE HAD IT… the sheer thought of going back out AGAIN sucked.. But I have to run out this clock… Its starting to get HOT again… and I am really really just sooo sick of this crap… I am completely comfortable with my 76 miles… I just want the madness to stop…

As I am shuffling along, Joe carefully explains that if I pick up my pace we can make it to mile 80… we watch a girl run by us and then watch her stop and start to stagger… the heat is killing us.

Joe says, "We can do this."

I just wanna make it to aid station 2… I will be happy with 78 miles…I am ok with that. Joe is not.

"YOU CAN MAKE it to 80"…he says

I am in PAIN, PAIN, PAIN… ITS HOT... HOT......HOT...AND I just WANNA stop...STOP... STOP!!!

I am crying.. he has me in tears.. I NO WANNA do 80.

Joe: "But 80 will be soo much better than 76 or 78.. !"

Sniff Sniff... I see aid station 2… I have my 78 miles…

Seriously 2 more miles… ?

How much time is left.. ?

Impossible… I'm never going to make it..

We leave aid station 2… SNIFF...SNIFF...SNIFF..
.
Joe says to me.."We can go back if you want (back to the last aid station)"

WHAT!? at this same time another pair of runners passes us and she says… "COME ON you can make this.. you can DO THIS!"

Joe says, "YEAH you can…"

And then I started to run. RUN like I have never run before… every ounce of my soul was put into that run.

Joe calls out splits, you have 15 mins… I run faster.. you have 11 mins.. I run faster.. I see the aid station … I don’t hear anything else.. I have left Joe some yards back

and I grabbed me a Bracelet!!! ....... 80 MILES!!!!!

(afterwards joe checks his Garmin to find we were running well under an 8 min pace with me hitting under 5 min pace in the last 100 yards or so)

I DID IT!!! WE DID IT!

80 miles!!! With few minutes to spare… I was too exhausted to cry… !

What Joe did for me…his belief in me. He is my rock and soul…

Its amazing how the mind sometimes cannot see what REALLY can be done… and it takes someone to help show you… The girls who had passed me came up and congratulated me and let me know how happy they were that I made it.. they knew I could… and I did!

We all didn’t have to wait long for the return shuttle, ending a near perfect 24 hours.
By the way… If I EVER see that course again …..I will rip my eyeballs out.

I believe my accomplishment was due to my terrific team who were my ears, eyes, brain and guiding spirits in this journey.

Thank you to Joe, Jim, Jen, Paul, and the kids, Megan, Gary, Tom, and Dana… to all those who believe in me, especially my mom, dad, daughter, and family.

The funds for the race went to an excellent cause (Back on the Feet Charity for the homeless) and I realized something about myself:

THAT I AM STRONGER THAN I BELIEVE… I will NEVER doubt myself in any situation again.

PS: My recovery has gone really well.. that day my feet were ON FIRE and I needed to ice them a few times in order to be able to stand, I ate and peed and slept and tended to the blisters and realized I just did something harder than any IRONMAN… I JUST ran 80 miles in 24 hours… !!!
11th woman!! 41st overall.. 3rd Masters woman…
FINAL RESULTS

Lap breakdown

Recovery

WORN OUT.... it's now Friday, a week after Heather’s wedding and I am just starting to feel semi human again.... DANG… THAT wedding stuff is exhausting… !

Sure the humongous amounts of alcohol consumed from Friday night through Saturday night, the late nights with limited sleep, the socializing for three solid days with family and friends, the flailing of arms dancing, and the pitiful EARLY morning runs on a hangover depleted not only my physical reserve but my entire mental reserve. PITIFUL…

I do have to give some credit to the fact I took my nursing 3-1/2 hour Teas test three days before the wedding, Bessie’s 1st birthday was the day after the wedding and mom’s trip to philly to see the cancer doctor was two days after, and oh yeah I put in a garden fountain and some annuals.. so ...its.. ok.. I am sure this all didn’t help my complete, utter exhaustion. …

So I shouldn’t be so down that my training this week have been below par with a total depletion of natural resources.... BUT still, how many days does it take to recover from a wedding?!

Recovery from FULL Ironman: 2 days

Recovery from a wedding: 7+ days & counting

Just a little fun stuff at the wedding with the nephews:

Ironman New York 2012

I'm IN!...Ironman New York, August 11, 2012:
The inaugural Ironman U.S. Championship begins with a wave start, 2.4-mile point-to-point swim in the Hudson River. The 112-mile bike course spans the cliffs of Palisades Parkway followed by a 26.2-mile run course over the George Washington Bridge and finishing at 81st Street in the heart of the city.

I WAS SO EXCITED about the new Ironman debuting in 2012 in New York and had a careful conversation with Joe about me competing in it. It would be a rather large expense and given the amount of training needed, I would need his full support. With his blessing, I attempted to sign up. [Registration opened up at 12 noon on Wednesday, June 15th and all general spots sold out in 11 minutes.]

I was so nervous about trying to sign up, we were camping at the beach and the only internet connection and computer was dad’s paid by megabits, and if we went over allocation it would just shut off. And so I waited, watching the clock…..sigh....

ME, being the organizational queen, I made sure I had my credit card info, USAT license, and active account info handy. IN fact, I made sure what questions they may ask on their form so I could expedite it faster ( see it pays to have previously applied to the Kona Lottery and filled out their HUGE questionnaire). I knew this race would sell out fast, even with the higher price tag, and I knew it would take the proper time to log on to not be shut out.

I knew from previous shut outs not to log on before 12.. but that I had to log on EXACTLY at 12 or possibly get shut out.. so I had watched the seconds pass …11:55..11:56...11:57.. and.. it was A GO… 12:00pm… click on REGISTER NOW link on the website (which I already had up).. wait.. wait.. wait…GOD this is SOO stressful… a minute later it goes to the next screen…

Put in my Active password.. pray.. wait.. wait… wait.. OK.. next step… who is registering?.. fill in.. click fast Wendy… how old? click fast… and agree to conditions.. wait.. wait.. next screen. I am SHAKING because of all the adrenalin in my system… I cannot keep my hands still.. concentrate Wendy!!! PLEASE don’t let the connection go out… I knew how to answer REALLY fast.. there were 43 questions to answer… and I am a FAST TYPIST!

Click.. wait for next screen…please.. oh please… and we are at the PAYMENT screen… put in my card number.. wait… and...

INSUFFICIENT FUNDS comes up…WHAT!! OMG!!!!.. Wendy stay Calm!...I am in a crises, I don’t have any other cards, except my Victoria Secret card and I am about to FREAK OUT... (I totally work well under pressure).. I keep a level head.. .. I knew that if I didn’t obtain another form of payment within a few minutes, it would be refreshed and I would have to start over and most probably will lose my spot… I DIAL JOE AT WORK.. PLEASE...PLEASE... PLEASE answer.. don't be in a meeting... sweating and feeling sick.. he has to answer..

PLEASE GOD….ring.. ring…and..

"Hello…" (Now he already gave me his blessing on this expense and knew I would be trying to register)… I explained to him as calmly as I could and he gave me his credit card info and I put it in.. and I PRAYED.. and clicked the button… AND…

CONGRATULATIONS! You are now registered for the 2012 US Ironman Championship..

I then I cried…

PS: by the way, thank you honey, you also bought me a women’s 2012 Training Shirt! KISSES!

Eagleman Half Ironman 2011

Cambridge, Maryland

Sunday, June 12, 2011
Half Ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

Weather: HOT, start was 70 degrees @ 6am and ended up around 85 with heat indexes in the 90’s by 3pm.

Swim: Water 82 degrees, warm, calm (except when fat boys swam by)..TIME: 1:15:56.. Garmin picked up 1.46miles (that’s because I swam wide to get away from the fat boys)

Bike: Some winds, flat, warm… TIME: 3:28:11 (16.14 MPH avg)

Run: HOT, flat, no shade, did I mention HOT ..TIME: 2:32:25 (11:38 avg)

Motivation. What causes someone to wake up early, on their day off, so they can spend 7+ hours in the hot sun? Motivation? Dedication? Insanity? Because they are dumb as a board?

Sometimes I have to wonder WHY?..Why am I doing this....... and why do I continue to do this!?

Originally, I was going to qualify for Kona...YEAH... that was 4 years ago... REALity check... realized that after Eagleman 2008, qualifying was going to take A LOT MORE then dedicated training and hardwork, it was going to take a jet pack on my arsh and a miracle.
That year, in 2008, was the hottest Eagleman that I have done to date. The heat index were well over 100…with whispers of 107..… and carnage was everywhere..

I came back to race again in 2009 with “milder temps” and HIGHER winds for Eagleman 2009... because I just didn’t have enough PAIN...

THEN... I came back again in 2010 for the Eagleman diabolical... not being able to wear wetsuits...the buoys blowing off course....and having hundred’s of people DQ'd off the swim time cut offs. ....BUT the best part was not getting pulled UNTIL riding the ENTIRE bike course of 56 miles ( 3+ hours later) and coming in to find a big “DO NOT RUN” taped across our shoes..

OF course what would any normal person do!?..... SIGN UP AGAIN and come back for 2011, my 4th Eagleman attempt.

AND AGAIN I have to question WHY?...WHY do I want to do this AGAIN?!

I ended last year coming off a great full Ironman, Chesapeake Man, and took a month of swim lessons and a few daily swims in January and then nothing.. huh?... nothing…NADA, NIL, ZIP , ZINGO...ZERO... I didn’t swim from March through June... OOPS..OUCH..

OH and don’t even get me started on the bike… Since Chesapeake Man at the end of September.. I rode my bike.. um.. ONCE.. yes in the last 8 months I road my bike ONE TIME.. HOLY HELL.. !

SHHH...

So the weather this winter sucked, I played around too much with Derby, I just didn’t allocate the time I needed to train... UM... ok .. but to my credit… I did a couple marathons and half marathons, so I did at least run.. a bit. SIGH..

When the April 15th REFUND date came and I had lost my “last chance” to back out of the race and get a partial refund of the $$$$ exorbitant race fees.. I had to question WHY.... even when a couple of my friends backed out...I just COULD NOT put my finger on the refund trigger... WHY!??

At this point I knew ....I must suffer from some sort of mental illness.

Poor Joe.... suffering the same fate…he didn’t train adequately either and he too could not back out... WTF!

As the last few weeks went by before the June 12th Race... we both wrestled with what to do?!Should we attempt it with inadequate training OR not? What to do? What to do!?

Then a light...and a SLAP in the head from Molly, Claudia, and Jen (our Bricks Tri buddies from Delaware)... who pointed out that the race cut off rules HAD CHANGED.. and that instead of a 1:10 cut off after each wave for the swim it would be 1:10 after the LAST WAVE....and since I was in the 4th to the last wave (something like that).. stay with me please.. I would have about 1:45 to finish the swim... I WAS LIKE WHAT!? SERIOUSLY!?? Hallelujah!!! AND WHAT NOT!!.. That means I would NOT get DQ’d off the swim!!... I knew last year even with no wetsuit and floundering around I made that by a long shot!. Sweet baby Jesus! TOTALLY in!

Contrary to popular belief .. I LOVE to swim.. I love swimming in the choptank because it reminds me of the summers at Port Herman on the Chesapeake. Chop doesn’t bother me, dead fish dont bother me, murky water don't bother me.. but being DROWNED BY FAT MEN BOTHERS ME!

Packet pick Up and Racking Bikes:


















OK.. so now the Race Report:

4am: Wake up, (actually wide awake since 2am)...breakfast, coffee, and I AM READY!

4:45am: Drive to race, try to run a couple people over, heck its early, score a good parking spot.
5:30am: In transition, setting up, SO COOL to experience this with Joe. He did make mention that he couldn’t do this without me and my “organizational skills”…

6:15am: Uh Oh… potty problems

7:30am: Joe and I sample the water and end up getting our feet cut. My toes get sliced on barnacles while Joe had the bottom of his foot sliced open. Of course neither of told each other of our bleeding feet TILL after the race.... I mean why worry the other! ?

7:50: (Approx): My swim wave (women 40-49) gets in the water and I am ready…

7:55 (Approx): The swim wave behind us (men 45-49) get int he water with us, HUH?.. They are not suppose to get in until AFTER we start... congestion... Now I have a HUGE man standing in front of me!!! .. I take my arm and push him aside as he says, "OH I DIDN’T SEE YOU".. UM, NO, really a-hole? Another man steps on me.. UM EXCUSE ME..HELLO!?? The whistle, its a go... I have to push away another man swimming IN FRONT Of me as I am proceeding to go forward.... he is blocking me…arrogant MEN!

The Swim: Seriously had a great swim for the first half of the course and made it out to the first buoy before I heard the FAT BOYS wave whistle go… BTW this is Joe’s wave (The FAT BOYS 45-49 Men).. they were scheduled to go off 8 minutes after my wave (which was 40-44 and 45-49 women). I almost made it to the second buoy before the FAT BOYS got to me…the lead swimmers stay to the inside and hug the lines, I never have a problem with the leaders.. I swim wide to make sure I don’t get in their way. BUT it’s the MID packers that kill me… these men literary swim over me. Normally if you hit someone or something you move over.. not the FAT BOYS.. .they have no problem with the thought that they are the best in the world and that they are entitled to own the swim.

I was hit once, then twice, I moved further out and then some really large dude smacked me on the head and THEN continued to try and drown me. No amount of kicking to keep the beasts off helped.. I ended up having to stop swimming and turn around and DODGE them..the water is now a turbulent sea of waves...................

I swung out a little farther and got back into a rhythm. Then I felt something on my toe. UM.. I stop and turn around..nothing there…swim.. swim swim.. what the heck is sucking on my toes!!!! Of course this is why MAYBE my swim times SUCK… I spend more time fooling around in the water then anyone out there… BUT something was nibbling my damn toe!

I noticed that I was passed by the silver wave, then some in the pink wave with a really nice girl stopping her swim to see if I was ok… what a sweet heart.... I am at the last buoy and I hear the boy managing the incoming wave trying to get my attention… I purposely was ignoring him because I didn’t want to be told I was disqualified for any reason.. if I ignore him I cant get disqualified!

Finally, I understood what he was saying… PURPLE CAP (me).. you can stand.. ME: oh yeah! So I start to run in the water.. it was waist deep and I still had about 200 yards to go…kinda felt like I was cheating but F-ck that!!… swear to go God I make more of a production of the swim than it needs to be.

9:15am (approx): ok so I am in transition and I glance over to make sure I see if Joe’s bike is gone, of course it is..AS IS almost the entire field of 2500 racers.. all their bikes are gone.. sans mine and LOOKY..smile …there are still two bikes in my 45-49 rack.. ok... thank god I was not last out of the water in my age group... Sweet!

Bike: So I grab ole crusty (my bike) and head out for my 56 mile bike jaunt. AH...I was thinking between Eagleman, Chessyman, and our practice rides, I believe I have completed this course about 10 times… I knew it well... I hated the rumble strips they put in a few years ago, I was pleasantly surprised with the new paved portion, I saw the normal church, and said a prayer in passing for the graves, I saw the place I flattened a tire in a race a few years ago and said another prayer that it wouldn’t happen again this year, and then I realized that this year their lacked a serious headwind!.. SWEET! HECK.. I didn’t feel the need to crawl up in a ball and die! BUT MY ARSH SURE HURT…


Around mile 25 or so I saw a leg.. yes a critter leg… at approximately the same place we had seen a carcass of WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT JOE? on one of our practice rides last year….EEEWWEE..like seriously EWE!...

I have my home on wheels... I am able to eat, drink and be merry on my bike and not break the pace... I started to pass a lot of people after mile 30.... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this no headwind crap!

When heading down Egypt road I noticed a sign for a new development, uh.. oh.. and oh much sadness hit as I realized that the many dark days of running down Egypt road during Chessyman may not be the same now.

SO around mile 50 a motorcycle official drove up besides me and I thought, SHEETAH .. now what did I do!? OMG, I hope I don’t get a penalty. He pulled up besides me as I rode “to talk”.. it appears he “seem to remember me” from other races… since I have done Eagleman and Chessy man quite a few times, interesting conversation.. I assume I vaguely remember him as well… but it was a good pick up line on his part... kinda enjoyed the company, glad he didn’t mind the gummy worm that I was spewing out of my lips. I bet those elites don’t get this treatment!

As I was coming in from the last 3 miles of the bike, I saw Joe heading out on the run, he was at mile 3.. he waved and I think it perked him up to know that I was at least 6 miles behind him (3 on the bike and 3 on the run). My knees started to lock up a bit, and my arsh SURE HURT A LOT and it was REALLY getting HOT now.

1:00pm: Transition time again, took my time and poured water on my feet to cool them off.. AHHHH... I got myself together for the run, walking out of transition until I hit the run start.. then I ran… something like a run… it was forward motion at least fora bit and then UH OH..

Run: NEED to get to a potty NOW! I literally sprinted to the first port–a-pot and almost passed out inside it… DAMN HOT in those things.. At the aid station I got a couple cups of ice and put them in my sports bra… I rattled…

I was very pleased with my run this year… IT WAS HOT.. I WAS SICK.. I hit every port a pot… with serious distress…. And at each aid station I filled my bra with ice. Thankfully I packed some Tums…

I saw Joe again perhaps at mile 9 but I was at mile 5? He had picked up the pace a bit. I also saw a bunch of my new tri friends.. I totally was not alone on the course. I knew this was only a 13.1 mile run and that I had done 26.2 in just as bad, if not worse conditions last September, so I thought I CAN DO THIS… and I did.

I remember Joe cheering me in near the finish and then I was done.. 7 hours and 25 minutes. Not my best Half Ironman Time but I’ll take it... I finished.. and with Joe...

Joe did amazing, nailing the swim in 56:26, bike in 2:24:08 (19.30 mph) and the run in 2:29:55 (11:26 mph pace).. total of 6:29:29.

After my finish, I was still feeling quite sick and needed a moment or so to regroup. But no one could erase that smile off my face. I had finished my 3rd complete Half Ironman Triathlon (would have been 4th had I not got DQ’d last year). AND I think this is it.

The training takes SO MUCH time and is such a personal commitment and I know that I don’t want to enter a race again untrained.

I have a lot of great ideas, and great goals.. and I can't wait.. until my next adventure..
AND OH HOLY HELL.. the mental illness did it again
Ironman New York, August 2012... just saying..

The Tree Doctor has spoken

OK.. I am a TREE HUGGER and proud of it...

.. so when a few of our trees were.. well.. looking.. a bit CLOSE TO DEATH, we hired an Arborist to help determine WHY....and well the news..

IS NOT GOOD...

3 of the 25 year old rather large Maple Trees are suffering from Girdling Root.. which I come to find out is especially common in maples where trees have been transplanted from one site to another, like from nurseries to landscapes.

SO WHAT IS THAT? Basically the roots of the trees are strangling the trees…

OK.. so how does that happen?: Sometimes, when the trees are planted the transplant holes are too small and the planter chooses to “screw” the tree into the hole rather than take the time to enlarge it. In other cases, the tree is grown in a container that is too small to accommodate the increasing size of the root system. The roots are forced to grow in a circular fashion rather than their normal pattern of radiating out from the stem. Death without removing the strangling roots is 5-20 years.

SOOO…because our poor STRANGLED trees were denied proper nutrients and water... they are in a lower state of health ..

WHICH brought in a secondary infection because of their weakened state…

WHICH brought in the wood boring beetles & insects who are eating it from the inside out..

WHICH brought in the woodpeckers who are trying to eat the beetles who are marking up the trees and providing further avenues for infections to enter the trees.

WHICH is why the trees are covered in black mold soot (its actually tree sap leaking out from the woodpecker holes and turning into a black soot mold).

................AHHHHHHHHHHHH

He said unfortunately …2 of the trees CANNOT be saved.. SORRY…DONE.. FINIS... CAPUT... they would probably go into fall colors early and then just die, DIE....DIE><>DIE

He said one of them still MAY be saved... but its a stretch.. it would take excavating around the tree to get at the strangling root and remove it. However, if he opens up the area around the tree and see it's too diseased he will not go any further. He left prices for all this at the house for my review upon my return. UM THANKS?

HE ALSO examined the oak tree closest to the house… took tissue samples as he believes it has a bacterial infection…will know results in two weeks… Dude my trees are being strangled and possibly have STD'S!.. SUCH a SAD, SAD Day at Mount Krumpet!

FOCUSED

SOOO if I can remain focused..

This is my fall schedule :

9/4/11: Labor Of Pain 12 hour Run (I get to run with Joe all day.. precious) http://www.pretzelcitytiming.com/laborpain.html

10/2/11: Wineglass Marathon (get to drive 5hours to NY to run for wine..) http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/


10/23/11: Tussey 50 Miler (50 miles of hills and running “with” joe..no comment) http://www.tusseymountainback.com/


First off though...I have to get the LONE RANGER out of the way......


7/16/11: Lone Ranger Ultra 24 Hour Run…(SAY WHAT!)

So once that is done I should be able to FOCUS …a bit….so yeah the Lone Ranger Ultra… 24 hours of running… it REALLY DID seem like SUCH a good idea at the time (when I signed up 7 months ago).. but HELLO… running for 24 hours??!..

This is when you say OMG what the hell was I thinking! Like waking up after a night of drinking and OMG who the hell are you?!..

BUT I am STOKED! Seriously excited to see what I can and cannot do for 24 hours… I have my plan of attack… Pacers on board .. here is some of the info from the website:

The Stroehmann Back on My Feet Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon starts in front of Lloyd Hall - One Boat House Row and has become one of the most popular Ultra’s in the country. It’s for experienced runners who want to test themselves to see how many 8.4-mile laps they can do around Philly's Schuylkill River Running Loop in 24 hours .

All Lone Rangers must get their vitals taken when they check in (weight, temperature and blood pressure) – NO EXCEPTIONS. PLEASE DO NOT RUN or BIKE TO PICK UP YOUR BAG AS YOUR VITALS NEED TO BE PROPERLY RECORDED, or they will have to be taken again on Saturday morning
(Seriously… like why would anyone run or bike PRIOR to running for 24 hours..WTF! )

Many participants choose to bring their own tent to have outside to be a part of the great 20in24 atmosphere. There will be a lot of space to set up camp and you can see the site layout here. Some people choose to rent a van or a RV and park in the parking lot.
(Now that’s what Im talking about…. A RV!)

Pacers are only allowed for lone rangers after the 4th lap and they must be on foot – not bike. They must check in at the table and get an official bib. Anyone caught using an unofficial pacer will be disqualified
(Check pacers only after mile 30+)

We have instituted a flag system to keep all participants aware of the weather conditions and each flag color represents a different level.

1. Green Flag - Race status is normal

2. Blue Flag - Require all racers to carry electrolyte replacement (Gu Electrolyte Brew -supplied on course). In general, you can expect a blue flag when the heat index is between 90 and 101.

3. Orange Flag - Require all racers to stop at both of the medical stations on course. This flag will be shown when heat index is 102-105. Heat cramps and/or heat exhaustion are a very real possibility; heatstroke is possible.

4. Red Flag - Require all racers to walk. Please know that we are also runners on this end and we know the idea of having to walk is not appealing, but we hope you understand that we would only ask this of you if the heat index gets to a dangerous level of 105 or more.

5. Black Flag - If the risk of lightening requires intervention. Runners should proceed to the nearest rest station and the rest station personnel will record the bib number of runners who took shelter at the rest station.
(SERIOUSLY FOLKS... like I will even know my name, let alone remember what color flag means what after running for God knows how many hours....)

SO here are some helpful hints I pulled up for Pacers:
A large part of a pacer's success is his or her sensitivity to the runner's emotions. (UH - OH)Knowing the runner well allows the pacer to provide different incentives at different times. And it helps for pacers to understand the peaks and valleys any ultrarunner experiences while covering many miles over long, lonely hours. Sometimes a runner might be encouraged by praise for a fast split between aid stations or a great climb. At other times, simply mentioning the amount of distance covered or the "measly" 22 miles left to go might spark a wrathful reply from a fatigued, nauseated ultrarunner. At such times, the pacer needs to use his or her best psychological skills to redirect the runner's venting and refocus him or her on the task and goal.

The point is, first, be prepared for all requests that a runner may have, and if that fails, be creative. It doesn't take much to redirect a tired runner's limp mind.
(So whose in to pace me?!)

Ultra Website: http://www.20in24.com/the-back-on-my-feet-lone-ranger-ultra-marathon.html
Lone Ranger Start Time: 10 am - Saturday, July 16th…..front of Lloyd Hall - One Boat House Row.

Each lap is 8.4 miles ..at a 12 min pace would take around 1 hour 40 minutes..

End: 10am - Sunday, July 17th.

Tentative Pacer schedule
10am–5pm: SOLO (4 laps) 33.66 miles
5pm – 7pm: (2 laps - 16.8 miles)
7pm – 9pm:
9 pm – 12am: NIGHT
12am-5am: NIGHT
5am-7am:
7am-8am:
8am-10am:


(So whose in to pace me?!)

Altercations

I had an altercation today..

At work…

You really have to wonder if people will ever truly get it.

I am seeing it more and more every day.. people are just HURRY crazy. People are in a hurry to GET to work…in a hurry to get OUT of work.. in a hurry to get JR to soccer, baseball, guitar and swim lessons…to get to the grocery store…to a movie…even to get to church..

But what people are forgetting in their HURRY is that many of them are driving thousand pound killing machines.

I know its frustrating when someone slows up your world, heck I hate being inconvenienced, but at least I know that even though I am supreme ruler of the universe, I am not the only one in the universe...

I don’t know how many times I have been almost killed while running…people in their big ole metal machines not paying attention… driving too fast…talking on their DAMN cell phones.. well today just solidifies it.

While taking my “peaceful” walk from my truck in the far parking lot at work to the entrance of our building, some ANGLO SAXON man who thinks he is more important than the rest of world ….tried to run me over. YES, I did see him in his “really important car" ..and unless I have new magical powers of invisibility that I am unaware of…. I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVISIBLE…. and the fact that he had to swerve around me should have indicated to him that perhaps there is a problem.

So lets say that MR. I AM MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD man missed the fact that he had to swerve around me because I was allocating space in front of him ……then maybe perhaps my arms in the air and screaming as-hole pointed out the exaggerated fact that dude.. “YOU ARE AN A-SHOLE.”

Somehow Mr. A-shole manages to park his car and catch up to me as I enter the building. Bad move on his part…

“Mame, I sorry but I didn’t know you were going to walk out in front of me… and you didn’t need to call me an an a-shole”

(... oh he is soo not seriously lecturing me after he just tried to run me over....)

I don't think its wise to start something with someone who is coffee and donut deficient…

"Seriously dude I was in the middle of the street and you tried to RUN ME OVER, you are an A-SHOLE. (EXCLAMATION POINT)!!"

Not sure if his mommy ever talked to him like that or what.. but he was completely shocked that OMG someone called him an a-shole.. NOT ONCE.. BUT TWICE!


I think he tried to justify trying to kill me by stating I leapt into his path.

It’s a stretch buddy.. truly now you are reaching for it, you do realize if I had "leapt" into your path you most certainly would have felt it because I would have put my fist through your windshield.

He started to mumble that he was “only going 15 mph.” Really and you know this because you were watching the road or your speedometer? And you do realize you were in a parking lot?

Conversation is done… told him to call security explain that to them and perhaps maybe they can explain right of way to him.. i did "wish him well" with a closing remark that “I hope you don't run anyone else over…”

I am sure I will see him later in the cafeteria or something.. or maybe he will try and push me down the steps or poison me…

.. perhaps if I had had a chance to have a donut..I would have been more charming…