Double marathon at Run with Scissors (First 50 miler)
I usually write a blog right after my race. For this blog, I let all feelings and emotions sit for a couple of days before I started writing. First, I was overwhelmed and still could not believe that I just ran 53 miles...53 miles in the woods and cold rain. Second, I have been going through a typical emotion roller coaster known to multiple ultra runners after their big race -> post-race blues. I was lost and was not sure what to do with my life. It took me a couple of days to get myself back together and thought about "What's next?". Now I have a pretty solid plan in mind regarding the 2018 races and goals. However, until the plan is elaborately laid out in an Excel spreadsheet, I cannot stop thinking about it.
My 2018 races and goals will be announced soon :D
Alright, back to the pre-race, race day, and post-race recap.
Pre-race: I knew I wanted to do the double marathon at Run with Scissors after my Mohican 50 miler had to be cancelled due to ankle injury. In the summer, I focused on strengthening the ankles, and building strength and preventing injury. I did a couple of triathlons including the first Olympic tri in August. I love triathlon because it combines 3 sports together, which makes you automatically do cross-training. However, I did not sign up for the RWS double until late September even though I'd been training for the race. I was afraid that something was going to come up and derail the plan (again). I enjoyed the training part of the ultra marathon. It gave me "structure", which I really liked. However, since I did not hire a coach, I had to spend time coming up with the training plan myself.
(Fast forward to the race day)
Run with Scissors marathon is a 26-mile course in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park starting at Ledges Shelter. Runners run to Covered Bridge on Everette road and run back. The double marathon runs the loop twice.
Race day: I told the R. (the race director) that I would take the early start. The typical starting time for the double marathon was 5am. The early starters started one hour earlier. I woke up at 3am (benefit of living only 15 minutes from the race start), got ready, and ate my ritual PB&J sandwich. I arrived at Ledges Shelter around 3.30am and there was only a couple of runners and the RD there. I was nervous. It was raining. Millions of questions went through my head - am I going to finish?, am I going to pass out on the course?, will it be raining the whole time?, etc. I could not quiet my mind. The race began quietly in the rain with the RD said "go". No national anthem, no cowbell, nothing. It was quiet, rainy, and dark.
I started running with M., A., and another runner from Columbus. The first 4 miles flew by because I had fresh legs. I could not remember when was the last time I ran with fresh legs. It felt....weird. We started slow and, thank to M., I was able to stay at my planned pace. I usually had tendency to go out too fast and then bonked later in the race. We arrived at the first aid station (Pine Hollow). Some of them went to the restroom, some grabbed something to eat. I did not want to stop and wait, so I kept going. Running in the dark was completely different than during the day. No matter how many times I ran on the course, I still felt that the course was "new". I followed the markers and tried to stay on the course. It was still raining and cold.
Then, I missed the turn... yes, I'd run this section of the course so many times that I had it memorized. I even LED the training runs on this section. However, I still missed the turn. There was no arrow to show that we had to turn on Wetmore so I kept going straight. After a mile, I realized I hadn't seen any markers for a while. I stopped to look at the map on my phone. Yes, I was off the course for about a mile. Damn. It was dark and I started to get scared. At that 'crisis' moment, I had another urgency. I needed to poop really badly. So, I jumped off the trail, found a spot behind the tree, and did a No. 2. The good thing about being off the course was that you didn't have to worry that someone would see you doing your business.
I ran back until I saw the marker again and then noticed the turn that I missed. I felt better knowing that I was back on the course. I kept going until I reached Covered Bridge aid station (and proudly told everyone at the AS about my no. 2). By then, I got about 12 miles in. Legs were still fine and fresh. I knew the Bill's Badass loop would be 5 miles. Then, I got to come back to the Covered Bridge AS again for the bacon. The first BBA loop was fine. The course was muddy due to the rain for the past couple of days. I ran into R., another ultra running legend in NE Ohio. He saw me and patted me on the back and said I looked strong. He also told me to get out of the start/finish as soon as possible. My run back from Covered Bridge to the Start/finish line was fun because I saw many friends who ran the marathon and half marathon distance. Everyone called my name and gave me encouragement, and even hugs. My body did not feel "right" until about 22 miles into the race. The "right" feeling was more of the tiredness in the legs. It's the same feeling that I had in the back-to-back long runs. Although my legs started to hurt, the feeling "right" gave me a peace of mind. It was an indirect way to say that I'd done the training.
Took a picture with back-up Red at the end of the first BBA loop.
My 2018 races and goals will be announced soon :D
Alright, back to the pre-race, race day, and post-race recap.
Pre-race: I knew I wanted to do the double marathon at Run with Scissors after my Mohican 50 miler had to be cancelled due to ankle injury. In the summer, I focused on strengthening the ankles, and building strength and preventing injury. I did a couple of triathlons including the first Olympic tri in August. I love triathlon because it combines 3 sports together, which makes you automatically do cross-training. However, I did not sign up for the RWS double until late September even though I'd been training for the race. I was afraid that something was going to come up and derail the plan (again). I enjoyed the training part of the ultra marathon. It gave me "structure", which I really liked. However, since I did not hire a coach, I had to spend time coming up with the training plan myself.
(Fast forward to the race day)
Run with Scissors marathon is a 26-mile course in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park starting at Ledges Shelter. Runners run to Covered Bridge on Everette road and run back. The double marathon runs the loop twice.
Race day: I told the R. (the race director) that I would take the early start. The typical starting time for the double marathon was 5am. The early starters started one hour earlier. I woke up at 3am (benefit of living only 15 minutes from the race start), got ready, and ate my ritual PB&J sandwich. I arrived at Ledges Shelter around 3.30am and there was only a couple of runners and the RD there. I was nervous. It was raining. Millions of questions went through my head - am I going to finish?, am I going to pass out on the course?, will it be raining the whole time?, etc. I could not quiet my mind. The race began quietly in the rain with the RD said "go". No national anthem, no cowbell, nothing. It was quiet, rainy, and dark.
I started running with M., A., and another runner from Columbus. The first 4 miles flew by because I had fresh legs. I could not remember when was the last time I ran with fresh legs. It felt....weird. We started slow and, thank to M., I was able to stay at my planned pace. I usually had tendency to go out too fast and then bonked later in the race. We arrived at the first aid station (Pine Hollow). Some of them went to the restroom, some grabbed something to eat. I did not want to stop and wait, so I kept going. Running in the dark was completely different than during the day. No matter how many times I ran on the course, I still felt that the course was "new". I followed the markers and tried to stay on the course. It was still raining and cold.
Then, I missed the turn... yes, I'd run this section of the course so many times that I had it memorized. I even LED the training runs on this section. However, I still missed the turn. There was no arrow to show that we had to turn on Wetmore so I kept going straight. After a mile, I realized I hadn't seen any markers for a while. I stopped to look at the map on my phone. Yes, I was off the course for about a mile. Damn. It was dark and I started to get scared. At that 'crisis' moment, I had another urgency. I needed to poop really badly. So, I jumped off the trail, found a spot behind the tree, and did a No. 2. The good thing about being off the course was that you didn't have to worry that someone would see you doing your business.
I ran back until I saw the marker again and then noticed the turn that I missed. I felt better knowing that I was back on the course. I kept going until I reached Covered Bridge aid station (and proudly told everyone at the AS about my no. 2). By then, I got about 12 miles in. Legs were still fine and fresh. I knew the Bill's Badass loop would be 5 miles. Then, I got to come back to the Covered Bridge AS again for the bacon. The first BBA loop was fine. The course was muddy due to the rain for the past couple of days. I ran into R., another ultra running legend in NE Ohio. He saw me and patted me on the back and said I looked strong. He also told me to get out of the start/finish as soon as possible. My run back from Covered Bridge to the Start/finish line was fun because I saw many friends who ran the marathon and half marathon distance. Everyone called my name and gave me encouragement, and even hugs. My body did not feel "right" until about 22 miles into the race. The "right" feeling was more of the tiredness in the legs. It's the same feeling that I had in the back-to-back long runs. Although my legs started to hurt, the feeling "right" gave me a peace of mind. It was an indirect way to say that I'd done the training.
Took a picture with back-up Red at the end of the first BBA loop.
Right after I arrived at the start/finish I followed what the RD and everyone told me, I spent the least amount of time possible at the shelter. I did not even change the socks because I knew they would get wet again. S. handed me grilled cheese sandwich, I put things that I no longer needed in the bag, and left the shelter (walking and eating at the same time).
The 2nd loop was pretty hard as my body was not used to running more than 31 miles. The course also became more muddy because all runners had already run through it. I ran and power hiked up the hills. Mentally, I felt strong. I knew I got this. I arrived at Pine Hollow AS, talked to B. and B. who were AS co-captains, grabbed more PB&J sandwich and bacon. Then, left the aid station.
The area between Akron-Penninsula rd and Bolanz road was super muddy that almost everyone had to walk through that section. BBA was also muddy. Basically, it was as shitty as it could get on the race day. I completed the BBA loop and came back to the Covered Bridge AS. Everyone said I looked fine and was still smiling. At that point, it was already 40 miles. I was physically tired but mentally strong. B. and S. told me that I was supposed to feel tired at that point and it's normal. The good thing was I only had 10 more miles to go.
Below is the picture of me at Pine Hollow during the first loop.
R. taught me to run without music. So, I spent time while running focusing on my body, assessing what it needed, and thinking about what the plan when I reached the aid station would be. I put the headlamps back in the bag while I finished the first loop thinking that I would not need it. When I arrived at Pine Hollow, it started to get dark and I was worried about the light. So, my goal in the last section was to finish before dark. I arrived at Ledges Shelter around 6.30pm and there was still some daylight left. I hugged R., S., and B. who were waiting (patiently) for me at the finish line. It was the best feeling ever to see all my friends there.
After I finished, they handed me the RWS finisher cup. Most people had already left the shelter because they ran faster or they ran the marathon or half marathon. It was low key. No party, no loud music, no massage tent nor people handing out beer and pizza. I love the low key event like this.
Run with Scissors is my all-time favorite trail race because I know the people and the course. Most importantly, I know that the proceeds will go to charities and non-profit organization. It's the race that is run by heart and the love for ultra running. I'd never thought of myself as a "real" ultra runner although I've finished a couple of 50K races. When people asked me to explain my feeling after finishing the double marathon, I could not explain in words. It's not only about happiness, excitement, or pride. It's more like "I get it" feeling. No matter how much I talked to other runners, read the books and forums, it's not the same as experiencing it myself.
Yes, I've become a real ultra runner :)
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