For the past few years, I have attempted to find ways to destroy myself on my birthday. In 2023 it was a Murph followed by 54 burpees. In 2024, I did all the Result Fitness classes in a day. This year I had a hard time finding something, other than this. I really tried to find another challenge, even reaching out to some fellow crack heads, to no avail. You see, I am NOT a runner; I do run on occasion for cross-training and bone health, but only 2-3 miles once or twice a week. While my heart loves to run, my musculoskeletal system goes on the fritz when I try to push the envelope.
And as if 48 miles was not enough, I decided to tack on an additional 8, as this year I was turning 56. And so it began at 1 am on Thursday January 30.
Interval 1: 4.42 miles 39:13
I ran this one through the neighborhood with my pacer, Honcho. I absolutely loved the quietness at night. No sounds other than the patter of my feet and the ticking of doggie toenails on the asphalt. After finishing, I showered and tried to get some sleep, but it did not happen.
Interval 2: 5.1 miles 44:54
I ran this one at my gym, Result Fitness, which is a short 3 minute drive from my house. I listened to the Eminem station on Pandora and knocked this one out effortlessly. I decided to focus each interval on someone who has inspired me over the years. This one was my Grandma Williams, who in her youth living in Pittsburgh, would regularly swim across the Ohio River, playing Frogger with the barges. After finishing, I hopped in the cold plunge. Then I went home and started baking my birthday cake, a carrot cake.
Interval 3: 5.22 miles 51:09
I ran on the Eureka Trail, which is about a 15 minute drive from my house. We had it mostly to ourselves, so I let Honcho off leash. While my cardiovascular system was fine, my musculoskeletal system began to whine a little. Little niggles around my hip adductors and posterior knees. This one was inspired by Grace Ragland, a good friend who also loved to endure the miles on her mountaing bike. She died way too young from lymphoma soon after finishing the Tour Divide. Upon arriving back home, I made the cream cheese frosting.
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Interval 4: 6.02 miles 59:26
Interval 5: 4.76 miles 43:13
Carly joined me for this one, although she walked as I ran. Still, it felt good to have her by my side. My niggles were still there, trying to get me to see the foolishness of this ordeal. Shut up, monkey brain! This one was inspired by my daughter, who is such a beautiful person, both inside and out. She is a hard worker and anything she starts, she finishes. She is always there to help me defuse, as I tend to let the little things get under my skin. It is as if she is always in a meditative state. After the run, we hopped in the sauna.
Interval 6: 5.50 miles 52:07
It was 9 pm. I did not want to run on the Eureka Trail at night for fear of shady characters, and my body could only take so much asphalt pounding, so back to the gym. 31 miles in and the pain was intensifying. So I turned inward and thought of what Tiffany Ballew-Horn is going to endure this coming June through August as she attempts to become a Leadman. This will entail 5 trail running and MTB events covering 283 miles, all at 10,000+ feet. She was my inspiration to get this one finished. Fortunately, I was able to get in a 2 hour sleep prior to the next one.
Interval 7: 4.39 miles 45:55
Asphalt is hard AF! Took another route from my house. My knees were begging for mercy. It was not my joints, but rather the soft tissues surrounding the medial aspect of the posterior portion that were on fire everytime I connected with the ground. It took 2 miles before I found the mute button and turned off the pain. This one was inspired by Steve Owens, who crushes the vert in North Carolina. He is the king of positivity, even after losing his home to Hurricane Helene. He kept his faith and has begun anew and back to running the Pisgah mountains. Happy to say I got in another 2 hour nap after this one.
Interval 8: 5.25 miles 48:17
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| Shut Up Garmin! |
Found the mute button right at the start and no pain. Amazing what 2 hours of sleep can do, as I felt fresh. Company was once again had with Eminem blaring out the speakers. This one was inspired by good friend Scott Morman, who hampered by injuries for quite some time previous to 2024, has been able to overcome. And he is now becoming quite the vert monster. He recently won the Flintstrike 40 in Georgia (12,000 vert and is preparing to tackle the Georgia Death Race in March.
Interval 9: 4.1 miles 36:22
Back at the gym, I fed off the 9 am class' energy and crushed this one. The body was finally accepting of the punishment and I had some pep in my step. This one was inspired by Nancy Estellow Waddell. She is a bad lass in her 70's and still pushing her limits on the mountain bike and has taken up running again.
Interval 10: 4.00 miles 35:55
I had to hop back on the treadmill as it was raining pretty heavy outside. I was tired and did not want to get chilled by pressing it on the Eureka Trail. As vibrant as I felt the past 2 efforts, this one absolutely hurt. I have begun the journey into my pain cave and trying to embrace the suck. I even forgot to name an inspiration.
Interval 11: 4.00 miles 39:44
Despite having my pacer with me, I was in the pain cave right out the gate. The wheels have now officially fallen off the bus. What kept me in the right mindset was 2024 Marji Camp Group 11. These guys/gals fought their own personal demons and finished one of the hardest one day races in America. My struggle now was nowhere near what they had to overcome. I loved desire and tenacity!
Interval 12: 4.20 miles 37:56
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| Don't think I will ever see that number again. |
I must have been smelling the barn, or my birthday cake, as this one seemed WAY easier than the last 2. A couple extra tenths of a mile, which netted me 57 total: 56 being my age plus 1 more to celebrate the beginning of my 57th trip around the sun. This one goes to my dearest friend Lisa Randall. She has taken me under her wing and showed me the magic of pushing yourself to the extreme. She is a monster at all things ultra! I am so so happy that we have formed a strong bond, yet still try to kill each other on the trail. Love you Lisa!
Nutrition:
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| Lots of protein! |
Before each lap, I would drink 20 ounces of Skratch Hydration Sport. Afterwards, I would drink 20 ounces of water to which I added 1/2 packet of LMNT. Right after I finished an interval I would eat real food: omelette, PB&J sammie, egg/veggie scramble, roast beef sammie, hard boiled eggs, smoothie, and pizza. I got in 110 grams of protein over each 24 hour period, which is 1 gram/pound of body weight. I would also constantly sip on water, as dehydration was my enemy. It only became difficult during the last 8 hours to eat and drink, but I just forced it down. My stomach stayed happy every interval, except for the final one, where I got to taste my pizza again ... 🤮
Self Care:
After each interval, I would stretch for 5 minutes and lay on my Teeter Inversion table for a few minutes. Then I would take a hot shower. While I was eating, I would use my Elevated Legs compression sleeves for 30 minutes. I also had one cold plunge session and one sauna session.
Sleep:
Sleep deprivation is my super power. However, I was able to get in 3 1/2 hours prior to starting the challenge at 1 am. And the following night, I was able to get 2 good sleeps of 2 hours each, which kind of surprised me.
Aftermath:
The morning after I was able to get a 7 hour sleep, although restless. What I didn't mention before is that when I woke up to begin the challenge, I had a scratchy throat. Uh oh! You see, the Monday before my husband was diagnosed with Flu A. Despite isolating himself and constantly disinfecting all touch surfaces in the house, I feared that I may have caught it. So I prayed. During the challenge, my symptoms did not get any worse. But upon awakening, I felt like absolute poop: coughing, congestion, and mild fever. Was it all related to the challenge or did I have the flu? Not sure and don't care. As I am writing this on a Sunday, after a solid 9 hour sleep, I feel much better. I still have a cough and mild congestion, but 90% better than yesterday. Just glad that my immune system survived its own little challenge.
All the niggles I had during the run have subsided to a 2/10. My knees and hips are happy again. I only have a little soreness in my quads. I am quite surprised to be feeling this good. Yes, I am fatigued, but not overly so. I believe that my body did as well as it did because of all the strength training I have done this past year. I spent as much time doing strength and mobility work as I did on my bike. And it paid off.
Now to continue to rest and recover because The Snake Creek TT is next weekend. This will be my 21st year competing in this race.
Stay Hard!
