My first ultramarathon

[Tri Girl]

So this weekend I did my first ultra. I did a 24 hour trail race in Oklahoma City www.24thehardway.com
I did the 2 mile trail loop race.
I made it 40 miles before I had to quit due to the Saturn-sized blister on my forefoot that was too painful to allow me to continue (and too deep to drain and "fix" enough to continue).

It was the first time I'd gone longer than a marathon, and since I'd been recovering from knee issues, I had planned on walking most of it and running when it felt "right."

The morning started off rough with my newly adopted shelter dog having a seizure 2 hours before the race. I took her to the emergency vet and they examined her (first time she's had one with us around and I didn't know what it was). Got home and had to be at the start in 30 minutes. Needless to say; I was late to the start.

Made it to the race site and got started about 30 min. late. Walked a lot until I was able to get my mind focused and get in racing mode. Did run/walk intervals and kept a decent pace for the first 6 hours. Then I got tired and started walking a lot more. When the sun went down about 7 I walked the entire night. That trail is too rooty to run when it's dark (for me anyway, there were lots of people still running- but I'm a klutz and know better).
I walked throughout the night, stopping twice to take two 1.5 hour naps. My favorite time of the race was about an hour before sunrise when all the animals started coming out and moving around (possums, skunks, armadillos, deer, etc). There was a full moon at night, so quite a few times I turned my headlamp off and walked in the cool night air powered by moonlight. It was very cool.

I had to stop at about 6 am. My last 2 mile loop took me an agonizing 1:21 to complete. I was in excruciating pain with every step and knew I could not go on any longer.
I made it 40 miles. My goal was a 100K, but I'm satisfied with 40. Had I not had the blister pain, I would have been able to go further. I felt so strong the whole time. Even today I have no muscle soreness (just a little tenderness around the knees).

I'm already planning my next ultra: a 50 miler in February. I can't wait to try this again!!
Thanks for reading.

Here's me on the trails around mile 26, and then one of me (and my friend I cut out since I didn't have her permission to post this pic). I'm wearing my shirt I made. It's a turtle with a surly grin on his face and it says: I AM running