Trap Pond in Laurel Delaware is one of the flattest courses I have ever run, it is also the course that started this love of long distance racing. One year ago, almost to the day, I signed up for my first 50k. I had no idea what to expect, but I know it was going to be a long, arduous task, something the likes I have never seen before. I was going to use it as time on my feet to the races that I had coming up. I didn’t think it would become a lifestyle for me. I was wrong.
Trap pond last year I found myself in so much pain by the third lap that I wanted to quit running and just leave the race. I remember calling my wife and saying how stupid of an idea this was. I started playing Pokemon Go, anything to get my mind off of the race. Basically, I was beaten down pretty bad. I finished the race at 5 hours and 56 minutes. I remember feeling happy I was done and it made me more nervous for the upcoming races I already had planned. Overall I ended up 12th place and 5th place in my age. I was shocked that even with my seemingly terrible performance, my limping gate, the amount of time I walked, I assumed I had done worse than that.
Throughout the year I still ran my races and completed three more 50k’s, a whole bunch of 1/2s, and a few other races that would of lesser mileage. I still ran a lot and wanted to try to push myself farther than before. I had goals to sign up for a 50miler, do all the 50k’s I had done the year before, and do many many more. I had my goals, I had my focus, I started to research locations, and my race schedule was set. It would all start again with the Trap Pond 50k.
Now, flash forward to Trap Pond. I had the muscle memory to run the distance, but did I do enough to take my stamina to the next level? I nervously messed with my shoes in the morning and checked and rechecked my Hickies. I fiddled with my Honey Stingers. I had made the bold statement that I would beat my time and get a good PR from last year on this race, by 30 minutes. So, if you could imagine I was more nervous about that than anything. I thought of my training, was it enough?
I knew what I had to do. I needed to run my own race, forget the bumps in the road and just run. So, I did. I ran my race. I started at the pace I wanted to start at, I continued on that pace for as long as I could, when I couldn’t run at that pace anymore, I slowed it down to a comfortable pace and stayed there. There were some loops when I had negative splits because I started to feel good. Like, really good. My goal was to finish the race with an average time of 10miuntes or less for the entire race…I finished with 9:33.
The first 16 miles were at a pace of 8:00 to 8:30. I wanted to stay consistent and comfortable for that first half. Even after mile 16, I kept my pace faster than I thought I could do. It wasn’t until mile 23 that I started to slow to the 10 minute pace, I needed a little bit of a break because I still had 8 miles left to go and I didn’t want to burn out. I started to do 1 mile run and .2 miles walk. It was enough of a break for me. I did that for one loop, my legs felt fresh, my mind was made up. I’m running the last lap like I have no sense….and I did. I pulled into the finish shoot with one more round. I had been running for 4 hours and 10 minutes. I only had 4.5 miles left and with my pace I was rocking out at less than an hour per loop. Anxiety and excitement crept in. I COULD BE SUB 5 HOURS! I grabbed my drink, tossed off my vest and went.
Time ticked slowly for me that last lap and I did 2 miles sub 8 minutes. I wanted to do this even if it meant pain for an extra day. I smiled at the sounds of the birds, I started to tear up because hard work had paid off, I thanked all the support staff, and then…I hit a wall. It was an emotional wall, not a stamina wall. I looked at my watch at the last aid station and it showed me at 4:45:00. Fifteen minutes to finish this year and I still had (what I thought was) 2 miles to go. How could I do 2 miles in 15 minutes…at my best, sure I could run that, but after 30 miles? NO WAY.
I walked. I walked. I looked at my watch in sadness. I was SOOO close! Where did I go wrong with my times? I started to think of my kids, I know they wouldn’t think I let them down, but I felt like I had. I had greatness for a second and I lost it. I pulled out my phone to get some support from my wife. That’s when I saw it. A glint from a car window.
4 hours and 52 minutes on the clock. I COULD BE A SUB 5 HOUR ULTRA MARATHONER! I rounded a bend, I saw a hole in the canopy above, OPEN FIELD! IT’S THE END OF THE RACE!! I sprinted like I had not just run 31 miles. I sprinted all the way to the finish line. Four hours and fifty six minutes. I did it…I had done what I did not think was possible. I put the medal around my neck, whisper, “one full hour off my time,” and wept.
It was probably the best race of my running career. My pace was where I wanted it to be, my nutrition was right where I had practiced it to be. Hard work pays off; persistence on being persistent!