This year, for my birthday, which is over seven months away, I signed up for something.
My final attempt at a 100-mile run at 55 years old. I will toe the line when I turn 56.
Thirty hours. One flat trail. Just me, my mind, and the question I’ve apparently decided I’m not done answering yet: Can I finish a 100 mile race and get the buckle?
The truth is, I’m not the same runner I was the last time I took on this distance. I’m a little older. A little slower. A wee bit heavier. And, a little more aware of what 100 miles actually demands physically, mentally, emotionally.
And still… I signed up anyway.
Not because I think it will be easy. Not because I’m chasing some perfect finish time. But because there’s something unfinished here. Something that keeps tapping me on the shoulder, quietly but persistently, saying: You’re not done yet.
I’m committing to showing up every week, sharing the highs, the lows, the small wins, and the messy middle. Not just for anyone reading, but for myself.
I want this to be fun, too.
Somewhere along the way, in the grind of miles and expectations, it’s easy to forget that choosing to run 100 miles is a little unhinged.
AND, also kind of magical. It’s a privilege to test your limits like this and to have a healthy body and mind to try.
So this is me, choosing both: the challenge and the joy.
If nothing else, this will be a record of showing up and being consistent.
On my birthday, I’ll step onto that flat trail with 30 hours ahead of me and a version of myself that’s been built, one week at a time, right here.
I signed up for the August, Miner’s Lady 50K in January as I was plotting my return effort to finish a 100 mile trail run. I was creating a progressive race schedule that would build to a 100 in November. It was difficult to find a 50K in August since it’s just so hot everywhere and there are few races, but I ended up finding this race in West Virginia; a place I’ve only driven through. I chose this race because 1) I needed a marathon or higher in WV 2) it fit into my progressive distance plan 3) it was a trail run in a place I’ve never been.
It’s far away, probably the farthest distance I’ve driven for a one day race, but I wanted the experience so I signed up.
I drove north on Friday for packet pick up and met my carpool buddies at Two Rivers Treads in Ranson, WV. The race organizers enforce carpooling since there is limited parking and for sustainability reasons. I thought it would be nice to drive to the race with two other women who knew the course and starting area’s set up.
Here is the course map at packet pickup:
I was really excited for this race. This was the first time I felt prepared for a 50K in a really long time. They took photos of all the runners at packet pickup. Here’s me – ready to run!
I didn’t want to sit in a restaurant or eat a big meal so for I stopped at the local grocery store and bought a sandwich and a container of hot mac and cheese, and ate it back in my hotel room.
As I prepped for the next morning I ate dinner and watched TV. I wasn’t feeling excited or scared at this point; I just felt ready.
Race Morning:
I drove to Amanda’s house which was a short 5 miles to the race start. She was still in the process of getting ready when I arrived, and we were a bit delayed getting to the start. It was still dark and parking attendants sent us closer to the staging area so that was great to be parked close to the start. As we set up the tent, it was getting close to start time.
Then suddenly, the whistle blew and had to run from our area to join the race. Not ideal but it was fine. I had my headlamp on and just started running.
While I studied the map, I had never been on the course and just followed the group. The course began with a gentle downhill and rolling hills. The course is wooded and beautiful, and as the daylight appeared, I felt like something bit me behind my knee and started rubbing it. A few minutes later I learned that runners were being stung and attacked by hornets.
I don’t notice the hornets except for what bit my leg, and wondered where they were? In a tree? Just buzzing around? A runner told me they were on the ground and she swatted them and they stung her hand multiple times. Geez! I lucked out on that one. A few people really got stung badly, I learned later.
I just kept running.
Then came the downhill section. And though I studied the map, I didn’t realize that I was on the out and back section and was surprised to see runners coming toward me. I was feeling good and running downhill, then moved over to make room for the oncoming runner and BOOM – my left ankle twisted, I heard a creaking noise, I fell to my right and landed off trail.
I was completely surprised, 1) because I haven’t twisted my ankle in two years and 2) I was only 2 miles into the race and 3) it hurt A LOT.
A runner tried to help me up and I wasn’t quite ready to get up. I was sitting there stunned. After a few minutes, I got up and walked. My right knee was bleeding but I could walk. Then my ankle started to hurt more. Sometimes after a twist like this, I can recover and it’s fine. This wasn’t going to be fine.
So I hobbled the remaining loop, and ended my day.
The loop was such a good one. I wanted to run it. I wanted to run it 4 more times. I wanted to finish the 50K but it wasn’t meant to be.
The medic told me that it looked bad and I should go to urgent care. My ankle looked like a golf ball, all swollen. Since I carpooled, my car was 5 miles away. A very kind race volunteer couple drove me to my car and I headed back to my hotel to clean up.
Every time I get injured my love for running grows. While in the past I can go months without running because I just don’t want to run or I lack motivation, when I get injured running, I miss running so much and can’t wait to get healthy.
It’s been two weeks since the race and while I can run, my ankle is still sore and not 100% yet.
While this race entailed a lot of driving (Road Trip Total Miles from TN to WV: 930 miles) the area was beautiful and I loved the course (minus the hornets). See you next year.
Here is the progression of my ankle over three days:
The trip to Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains was a great discovery trip. I didn’t want to leave the dogs and I certainly didn’t want to bring Chet to be kenneled after only having him two weeks. But I did it and headed north to Virginia to run a 25K trail run.
Mark flew to Knoxville and then on Friday we headed to Stuarts Draft, VA to stay in a cabin at Sun Retreats, the basecamp for the race.
When I signed up for UROCK it was December and I thought for sure my training was heading to the point that 60 miles was a good lead up to Leadville. However, moving wrecked havoc and motivation tanked. Adopting a dog prevented me from the routine that is needed to train properly.
We ran the 25K and had a great race. It was a beautiful course.
There were several river crossings.
Gorgeous trees.
This race gave me everything I needed to get my butt in gear to meet my training and racing goals for this year.
I’m ready to train seriously for Leadville 50 and 100.
This past weekend gave me all the motivation to get to the park and run mountains, to get back to the me who loves training on trails.
Thanks to my BFF Mark who made this all happen.
And, we visited Brother Bill and Lisa and got a tour of their amazing lake near Roanoke.
I haven’t written a post for a while; it’s been crazy. Working, training, dogs and buying a house. All contributed to a lack of writing.
Here’s the updated plan on completed races and what’s next:
I didn’t run for one week last week and this week has been a tough one too. Buying a house was the most stressful thing since moving to Tennessee. There was so much to do and I didn’t make time for running. There is still so much to do; it’s a bit overwhelming.
However, despite everything, training, racing and traveling is full steam ahead.
Race Report Houston Marathon:
It was a fun time to be in Houston. The weather was perfect and it was so good to connect with Mark, Brian and Shelly. It was nice to get out of town for the first time since moving to Tennessee. I was glad to finish and have a great meal with friends.
At the Houston Marathon Finish Line 2023.
Race Report Roaring Gap
My new friend Christal agree to join me on this adventure east to the mountains of North Carolina. The Roaring Gap race is touted as a tough trail run. It was no joke. The 50K is four loops and at the end of the day we did one loop plus a few miles when I took a wrong turn.
The trail is up, over and around Stone Mountain with gorgeous waterfalls and vistas. It was 100% worth the trip (3.5 hours in the car) to experience this place. Thank you to Christal who drove most of it.
I think we both agreed we don’t need to go back to this race, but then again, four loops may be calling us in the future.
Like I always say: everything is good, hard, fun, difficult, complicated. I am alway pleasantly surprised by the good people who come into my life and make it so much better.
2023 is going to be an epic year of training, racing and traveling.
I like having big goals and big dreams. But they also completely stress me out. I have moments of pure panic that it’s never going to work, that everything is going to come crashing down, and I’ll never make it to many of these starting lines. However, I can rationalize that it’s just one step at a time and I have to do the work to get to the starting line. But having big, scary goals is part of my DNA.
This is one of my favorite Reels: “Someone asked me how I managed my nerves and I said I don’t. I just do things scared.” Pretty much my life.
I do have moments when I stop and take a high level look at this plan for 2023, and realize – this is how I want to spend my life. I want to push my limits and see new places. I want to be outside running and hiking. I want to meet my friends in cool mountain towns and run races. I’m going to do it all scared.
So there it is. 2023 in a nutshell. See you on the trails.
