2011 TNT (In Retrospect)

March 2011

I crashed down the trail searching for the bright orange flag that would signal my next turn.  It didn't make a lot of sense that the sky should be so dark at one o'clock in the afternoon, and where did all this fog come from.  Through the trees I could see an opening and it looked like my last aid station.  Thank Heaven.  I needed a drink of...or maybe a...my thoughts faded in and out like a badly tuned radio.  Something pushed me on.  Just make it to the table and figure it out from there.

I was 28 miles into my first 50K (31miles) race.

I pulled through the trees and into the open.  Well, semi open, I think. I was having trouble focusing my vision on anything.

"Hey, Babe, how are you doing?" 
I know that voice.  Mindi.  Mindi was there at the aid station, my mind told me.  That was very sweet of her.

"He doesn't look so good.  Are you OK?"
I didn't know that voice but I didn't like the tone of concern I heard.  The race directors instructions were clear - if aid station attendants thought you were too far out of it, you would be pulled from the race.  And there was NO way I was going to pulled.

"I'm fine," I stammered, clasping the table to prevent me from falling backwards.  How could anyone stand while the world was spinning so violently?

"Babe?" Mindi sounded concerned now and I felt an unusual amount of attention turning toward me.

No way are they pulling me, I told myself.  Not unless it's in a hurst.

"I'm fine," I lied again.  "Just..." I lost focus as my concentration was diverted to the effort of not falling down.

"I can help you but you have to talk to me," the attendant said helpfully.  "Do you hurt?"

I stared blankly at her.  Well, I just did 28 miles through jagged rocks, thorns, trees, and I was pretty sure I jumped over a copperhead a few miles back.  "No, I'm fine."

"Can you breath okay?"

Was I swimming?  I inhaled deeply and tried to think of some reply.  More blank stares.

"Are you dizzy?"

Dizzy!?!  The word sounded right.  Isn't that where it feels like the world is spinning violently out of control and you want to fall to the floor but everyone else seems to be just fine walking around and such...

"Yeah...I'm dizzy," I declared like it was the answer to world hunger.  "Dizzy."  What a concept.

I guess I should interject here that if you've never run (or worked) the equivilant of 28 miles this may sound silly.  You're brain interprets things differently at that point.  It's a lot like trying to have a conversation when you're more asleep then awake.  Some really stupid things may come out, but at the time it seems perfectly logical.  (And if you've never had experience - you'll just have to run yourself silly to understand!).

"Ok." The attendant said.  "Get him some Dr. Pepper.  Your blood sugar level is really low - that's what makes you dizzy.  This will help."  She handed me a cup.

Almost instantly the violent spinning slowed.
I drank anothe cup. The fog cleared and the sky brightened.  It was actually a pretty day!

"That's better, isn't it?"

It was better.  Much better.  I thanked her and thanked God for knowledgeable aid station attendants and caffinated Dr. Pepper and took off.  I still had 3 miles to go!

This was the T'N'T (Toughest 'N Texas) trail run.  TNT gives you the option of 5 miles, 10 miles, 20 miles or 50K (31 Miles) through the technical trails of Cameron Park in Waco (You can see a video of some of the easier trails here).  It's not that the trails are steeper or longer or more difficult then any others.  It's just that you are almost NEVER running on flat ground.  You climb like a fireman or drop like a freshman physics major.

I had never done a Marathon before...much less an Ultra, but I learned a lot from that race - mostly the hard way.
1.  It's worth repeating, Thank God for Dr. Pepper and Knowledgable aid station attendants.
2.  Band aids, nipples and chaffing (Do the math)
3.  ALWAYS carry a hand held waterbottle on long runs.
4.  Toe nails are over rated.
5.  Vitamin I.
6.  When you finish an insanely intense run, EAT some real food as soon as possible. 

It sounds odd but if you don't eat almost immediately after finishing, you will get sick and hope to die.  After finishing the race I remember laying on a bed (not at the hopsital, thank you very much), my legs quivering, hands shaking and stomach rejecting everything I tried to get in it and thinking...well, come to think of it my brain may have shut down at that point. 

But the moral of this story is: If you could go back would you do it all over again?
I just signed up for 2012.