Dick Collins Firetrails - My first 50 miler

So, all week I had this excited nervous energy pulsing through my bloodstream until….Friday afternoon when my calf decided to act up. Yeah, I have had some issues with it off and on the past several months but usually after running some big hills. Not, the day before my biggest race to date. Ugh! Well, knowing this calf issue isn’t one I can run through the stress started to kick in. What am I going to do if it is like this during the race? That is a long way to go and money to spend for possibly having to stop because of my lil ol’calf. All these thoughts and more floated around in my head like the chaotic bubbles in whitewater. What’s a girl to do? Bring on the arnica oil for massive amounts of massaging, the stick for rolling, compression socks to sleep in. Yep, whatever I could do I did because darn it, I was not going to miss my opportunity for this first. No way.

Woke up race morning feeling good and did an assessment of how my body (calf) was doing: a little tight but manageable. Because I wanted this race so bad I decided my goal for the day was to live in a bit of denial...if I didn’t think about my calf, maybe my calf issue would go away. Mind over matter right?

Being part of the speedy turtle club, I was set up to go with the early start. With my headlamp on and a quick good luck and good bye to Beiyi I was off. The sky was dark, the forest quiet, and it was so peaceful. I realized again at that moment why I love running especially trail running. I feel at home out there. My mind can wander, my body can reach for dreams, and my soul can breathe. In my non-running life I am busy raising a family, being a good wife/mother/daughter, volunteering, taking care of our home, etc. But running on the trails is for me. It is time I can live in the moment, not be in a hurry, look around and breathe deeply. I think this is why I am not currently obsessed with my time or solely focused on getting faster. With more running and getting stronger my speed will come but right now, in this time of firsts, I want to savor the sound of my footsteps on the fallen leaves, the scent of pine that gently kisses the air I breathe, the streams of sunshine that sneak past the branches of the redwood trees. With welcome abandon, I felt and lived that appreciation and serenity the whole day.

Highlights of my run:
Having perm-a-grin all day long and seeing other runners responding to it. I think some aren’t used to seeing someone so happy at the back of the pack. Struggling a bit with my calf on the uphills at the beginning but then after about mile 16/18 it seemed to subside. Yay! Rocking out to Pat Benatar’s Heartbreaker (think Eddie Murphy singing Roxanne in that one movie) as I was running down the 3.5 mile descent before the 26 mile turn around. Was glad I could bring some entertainment to some of those runners trudging up the hill in the opposite direction. Apparently they found my singing and air drumming while running quite entertaining. =) Staying ahead of grumpy girl the whole race. Maybe not a very politically correct motivator but a motivator nonetheless; positive energy was going to win out over negative energy on this day. Watching the sunset as I was running around Lake Chabot and heading for the finish line. Coming within sight of the finish line and running onto the grass knowing I made it. Feeling good the whole day except for my calf at the beginning and being a little tired at the end. Feeling a deep sense of appreciation and thankfulness of this gift of a day embrace me as the reality of a goal accomplished and the finish of my first 50 miles sank in. Wow.

Not only did I survive my first 50 miler but I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Based on my history with triathlon, somehow I don’t think I should be so surprised. I found out a long time ago that my favorite events tend to be the long stuff....I feel at home out there.