Trim Tram Donovan: October 2008

Elevation Profile, The 2008 North Face 50K Endurance Challenge

I was about three hours into the run when I saw the familiar short gait of the Stalky Man running. The sky was huge with the flat prairies that had ripped pathways, worn by wear. The trails would lead from tall tree forests that let you go into these open air flat lands that went on for miles only to end up inside a forest where you repeat the process all over again. The textures and tree types changed in the settings but the zen of mile-by-mile would not. Trudging on, I had reached one of those prairie bridges to the next forest. The Stalky Man was struggling ahead of me.

I worked to get there trying to reach him while my right glute was still in protest. I would reach with every stride until he stopped running and began walking. As I caught up nearly ten feet behind him but my attention was sidetracked by a man who walked out of the tall grass with his dog, dressed in blaze orange with a shotgun over his shoulder about 200 yards away.

My feet picked themselves up again and I told Stalky Man, "Keep your head up," I was gesturing the hunter who blindly walked around the grounds with his golden retriever and an assumedly loaded shotgun. Stalky Man said nothing and kept going.

This inaugural North Face Challenge 50K was so long, you couldn't help but find so many moments like those. I could recount them but it would take too long and I'm not sure what the value of stacking those crazy moments together would pay. A race this long has many moments that were surreal and fascinating but I'll try (my hardest) to stick to the race day conditions and parts of the course to note as well as some events that transpired.

I arrived around 6:00AM. The race started about two hours later but I have this rule about being early to a race that went overboard on this race day. As I got out of the car in Eagle, Wisconsin, there was no light. Even being in a desolate place like the Kettle Moraine State Park, the only light around me were some gas powered fires burning in the North Face starting line camp. The pop-up tents boasted brand names and not much more to offer. The parking was close enough that you could see the starting line and cheers came from the small village where people started running the 50 mile race. It took off and I started walking in the dark toward the light.

I checked in, got my chip in the next tent then was allowed to check one or two gear bags for the 11 or 22 mile aid station. I had one bag of stuff for 22 filled with a towel, short sleeve shirt, lubrication and a hat.

When my check-in tasks finished, I returned to the car where I spent my time playing with my cell phone and flipping through music as the sun tried its best to rise on an overcast day.

Ran into Mike Forsterling who came in from North Carolina for this race. I only left the car once so I could to the bathroom when I ran into him. Mike has so many great mantras for race day. He would tell me things like "Play as you practice!" or "I'm just lookin' to finish." I especially liked the second one since I would be repeating it all day long.

Temp: 44

Cloudy, Winds were about 10-20 mph

It felt very cold at the start but after it got started, I found my shorts, long sleeve shirt and running cap were all the clothes I really needed. I packed a Camelpak water pack, filled with nutrition & salt tabs in the pocket.

The only strategy I used was

1. Walk Every Steep Hill

2. Walk at Every Mile

3. Don't Go Fast Anywhere But the Last 5-10 miles

4. Eat Where They Offer Food

5. Don't Bother Worrying About Where Other Runners Are

6. Keep My Butt Stretched Out

As we started off, the pack seemed to stick together. I kept to a 8:30/9:00 pace during the running. After the first three miles, the crowd started separating. I tried to stick with Forsterling but I kept losing him. By some point, I knew I had to just go alone and make it my own race.

Mile 7 was my first true taste of the Kettle's hills. It went up and around and up and around and up and I was walking when someone said to me, "That's a good idea to walk all the hills." This man was set on my pace and we were to end up together for the next 15 miles.

The course was peppered with shotgun sounds. As the first one went off, it was 9:00AM, so I thought they were starting another distance. As the race wore on, there dozens of shotgun sounds going off. It was a little unnerving to hear BOOM at random times. You exit a forest BOOM. You start to walk uphill BOOM. BOOM BOOM BOOM. How many guns are out there? (Later, I would be told that not only were there hunters out there but also a firing range which may explain some of the gunshot sounds.)

At the first aid station, they asked to see our bib numbers and we had to confirm our last names.

"What's your number?"

"Four fifty-seven," huffing to a walk.

"Last name?"

"Donovan."

The guy who I was running with answered their questions, "Three two Three. Donovan."

"Oh, two Donovans in a row!" the volunteer beamed.

Later on, I asked him for his first name. He said, "Zoltan."

"That's a good Irish name."

BOOM.

The race wound into planted forests and a trail cut through. When it was flat, the trees were so lined up and symmetrical, you felt like you were running through a supermarket. That was made of trees. That doesn't make sense but it sorta did to me at the time as I was losing calories and energy.

The forests would sometimes become torrential. The steep slopes and rocky terrain that were covered in mud made walking once again necessary. I didn't see anyone fall but each time we would hit something as bad as that, someone would verbalize something like, "Gaaaawd!" or "Sheeeet!" or "Whoooa!" I primarily grunted.

BOOM.

At each aid station, they had a huge spread. Jugs of water & Accelerade (tm) along with pretzels, chips, PB&J sandwiches, Swedish Fish (tm), cupcakes and the list goes on. They were spread out about 5-6 miles apart so you had to depend on yourself for quite a bit. I ate at each station as well as kept the combination of Stinger/Roctane nutrition coming as well. Lunch was quickly approaching and I new that my hunger would take a new turn. Since it was so cold, much of the food was close to frozen. It was intolerably difficult to eat but you would find things like the Swedish Fish (tm) difficult to chew.

By the time noon rolled around, I was starving. I pulled out a bag of Swedish Fish (tm) to tide me over until the next station where I could get more substance and ended up eating the whole bag. I could feel myself falling behind. Zoltan and Stalky Guy were slowly building a lead while I would walk or I would stop to stretch my right leg's cheek muscle. I had to keep reminding myself that this was my race and I was the only one who would decide how I ran it. Even if there were people in front of me that I should beat, this should be a race that I enjoy and finish on my own terms. I let them go ahead and tried to take care of myself with food, water and stretching.

19 Mile Split: 3:24:44 (10:45 Pace)

There comes a time when it all becomes a state of mind where you have to tell yourself, "I'm going to be out here all day long so just keep going." If I got caught up in the distance, it would be overwhelming. I just tried to stay focused on the food oasis at mile 22 or the next hill to walk. Suddenly, I'm looking at my Garmin (tm) and noticing that I was quickly approaching the marathon distance.

There's a cruel joke at mile 25 where it goes up, then short down, then up again, then down a touch then up again.

BOOM.

That marathon mark came and went. I didn't even notice since I got so caught up in the moment-to-moment state of mind. That mindfulness suddenly turned my brain and body around. The moment was unusual where I found a gust of emotional momentum.

It was only moments before I started passing people. Zoltan and Stalky Guy. Short Guy at the 27 mile oasis told me, "You're in fourth place, go get 'em."

I just about spit out my drink and it give me a bigger boost to my boost. I told him, "Thanks. You go get 'em, too."

As I took off, I sorta slapped him on the stomach as a sign of comraderie but he only yelped out, "Ow," and clenched his eyes shut.

"Oh, sorry. You ok?"

"Yea."

I took off. I would apologize again at the finish line as well as ask him if he was hallucinating because I was more like 54th place. At the time, though, I didn't know. And as I saw people, I would reel them in one at a time. I must have passed ten people up to the finish.

My only goal in this course was to finish and to run up the last hill (mile 30). As I started tilting to the end, I passed one guy who was muttering things, "Mile 28," he held his limp arms up, "mile 28. Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm doing it. Mile 28."

Directly in front of him was a woman with curly red hair in a ponytail, crows feet worn into her temples, sculpted calves that boasted a mud covering and her right hand held her water bottle. She was working up the hills while I walked them still. I would catch her and she would still be working those last miles. She was working so hard and staying so focused, I couldn't help but watch her from time to time. The tenacity and ferocious nature she poised so well was all coming together for the end of the race.

She and I met up at the last mile where the highway crosses the course. She broke character for a minute and asked me, "How did you like your 50K?"

"I didn't."

"I love it." She told me.

"I guess I do too." We crossed the street and she seemed to pick it up as the wind started slowing us down as it whipped at us. I tried to savor the last few moments but I didn't want to walk and I didn't want anyone to pass me. I slowly jogged with the best gait possible as I re-entered the main corridor to the Kettle Moraine Park.

I crossed the finish line in the hysteria of finishing, I got my huge medal and I walked around.

Finish Time: 5:47:51 (11:08 Pace)

I cried for the first time in a long time then I collected myself. I watched some people finish but it wasn't very long until I got into my car and drove home covered in mud and forest debris.

BOOM.

Indulging in McDonald's is a weekly breakfast event for me. Typically, I'll buy a number two morning meal (Sausage McMuffin Meal) with a large coffee. About every month or so, I'll get the wrong order. I usually end up eating it.

This week, they gave me a breakfast burrito with my meal instead of a Sausage McMuffin. I would never choose this item to purchase but I was so hungry that I had to eat it. I found it surprisingly enjoyable! But, oh, it was so small. I need more food. As I threw my trash in the McDonald's bag, I realized that it was running a little heavy.

Joy! Another breakfast burrito! Life is good.

And DON'T think that this is disgusting or revolting. I got an email today from everybody's All American Ron Lehmann who invited me to "continue the streak." He took me to Chipotle where I ordered a burrito. He told me, "C'mon. Aaaaaand..."

"And three soft tacos." I paused, "this is so embarrassing." It was like I was putting on my costume for a circus show. But I can't stop myself. I was ready to eat all of that food.

Burrito Count for the last ten days:

4 Chicken Burritos

12 Soft Tacos

2 Breakfast Burritos

It's ok to be so gluttonous though. I have decided to run the North Face 50K race so I guess loading up on calories might be good for me. Maybe Ron can be my nutrition counselor.