50 for 50

[SadieKate]

Our wishes must have worked.

Yellow just finished a few minutes ago. 13 hrs, 5 mins and 33 secs.

I think there was only a measly 12,000 ft of climbing.

[OakLeaf]

Woohoo! Way to go Yellow.

[snapdragen]

When I grow up I want to be yellow.....

[yellow]

Well, I had to invoke the DFL>DNF several times.

I am happy I finished but bummed about what happened between miles 23 and 52 (yes, 52).

It was a pretty good day weather-wise, but the heat did zap a lot of folks. I had moments of near-meltdown for other reasons.

I felt great going out. I was in a pack that missed a turn and by the time we figured it out and got back on course, we all did an extra 2 miles. So it was the SP52.

Anyhow, in a nutshell, body felt good, running was smooth, nutrition was great but at about mile 22ish something happened to my lower leg/foot. It started as weakness/lower leg wanting to collapse on the downhills and eventually became pain in the lower leg (anterior) and top of foot/ankle. For a while I could still run the flats and the mile uphills but after about mile 40 that also became too painful. So I walked the last 12 miles, which included a big climb I probably would have walked a lot of anyway. Because what goes up must come down, the drop off the pass was fairly excruciating. I ended up walking down a lot of the steep hills backwards. My pacer found me a walking stick, which helped tremendously. I almost dropped at the last aid station. One of the guys working the station is a running acquaintance of mine and he urged me to finish. "You'll be kicking yourself at about 6 o'clock if you don't. Walk. It's not that far." He was right.

You never know what you'll be dealt. I wasn't happy with my hand but at least it wasn't a total loser. I finished 52 miles, albeit with lots of help from two awesome pacers. I figure the detour + foot problems cost me probably an hour and a half. But since not detouring and not having a wonky foot were not in the cards, guess it's a moot point.

Aside from my foot, the rest of me feels pretty good. I woke up at 3 am absolutely starving, but I think that's justifiable.

[yellow]

Here's a picture one of my pacers took. This is near the top of the last climb, at about 44 miles. At least I am still upright! This is high enough elev that the trees still don't have their leaves!

[OakLeaf]

Wow, way to push through Yellow! You're my idol.

Hope your foot feels better ASAP.

[Veronica]

Wow! That's beautiful. Hope you feel better soon!

Veronica

[maillotpois]

Wow - amazing. What a thing to push through thy awful leg stuff. Good for you for making the best of a bad change in circumstance and finishing the bugger! You are a woman of steel!

[Alex]

Yellow! Awesome job! Congratulations on winning second place among the Master's Females!

I didn't see this thread until today and didn't know you would be out there. DH did the race as well, but finished well after you. I didn't even show up to cheer him in until 40 minutes after you were done, and let's just say the poodles and I had time to burn waiting at the park for him. At least it was a nice place to wait.

This was the fifth time he's done this race. He likes the original course better than yesterday's but, like you, was glad it wasn't cancelled.

I hope you're feeling well today and that the foot/leg issue is a thing of the past.

[limewave]

Wow Wow WoW! Amazing job! Congrats on toughing it out.

[azfiddle]

Congratulations! Sounds like some good self-motivation to coax yourself through to the end. I hope the leg is feeling better now.