Isn’t it crazy when you are in the midst of something that
you have looked forward to, prepared for, invested in and are passionate about,
that you just want the experience to be over? There are times that I felt just that yesterday during the Mad City
100k, National 100k Road Running Championship in Madison, Wisconsin. This was my 1st 100k-road
run of all the 69 ultra’s I have run since February 2003.
Though I have run the distance on trails several times
(GEER, Bandera, Hellgate) and a couple 24-Hour runs on pavement (Freedom Park,
IAU Bergamo), this road 100k is a different creature altogether!
Please don’t misunderstand-I LOVED running in Madison
yesterday- (except for those tougher moments). I am a place with running and my
body right now, that I really appreciate it all! Trails are my true love-yet I
am so very curious about other kinds of events too. And I am at a place in my
life that I am very willing to be a learner and do different things-just not as
impulsively as when I was younger!
After being named alternate to Team USA 24-Hour earlier this
year, I changed my spring race plans to see if I could myself in a better
position to be selected to the 100k Team. Though I qualified at JFK 2009, after
consulting with team leader, Lin Gentling she advised me to run and qualify at
Mad City-because the winner would be automatically selected and other
qualifying times would hold higher ranking than qualifying 50 mile times. Not
knowing how to prepare to run this sort of race, I turned to
Howard Nippert and
he agreed to coach me for 3 months to prepare me for Madison.
(Turning over my training and mileage to someone else was
utterly new for me, as I haven’t had a coach in the past-I have always created
my own training plans and made stuff up as I went along). Yet although I am an
experienced ultra runner, I instinctively knew I would trust Howard’s personal
success and that of his athletes so I could move closer toward my goal. Plus I
really like his direct, no-nonsense approach. And to tell the truth to have
someone else create structure around my race plans/hopes is a great stress
reliever. I only wish I could afford to keep Howard.
As it turns out, I can keep working with him! I’ll babble
about race details later, yet my personal outcome of the race was 2nd
place, 8:05:23 and to my absolute surprise, a check for $1,200! Although she
can’t say for sure, Lin believes I have a GREAT chance of going to Gibraltar
with the Team in November. So, I’ll be planning for it and will know one way or
another in a few months.
The Trip
I took ½ day off from work on Thursday and all day Friday.
My flight from Charlotte to Madison was scheduled to leave at 4:25pm. Due to
thunderstorms in Atlanta, the flights origin, we did not leave until after 7pm.
Since I am not a very patient person, I wandered the airport and sat down for a
glass of wine. I met a couple business guys waiting for their weekly commuter
flight and enjoyed the wine, conversation and interacting with people from such
a different lifestyle.
During the flight from CLT to Detroit, one of the passengers
became ill, and when the plane landed the paramedics needed to board and check
out the man before he was cleared and the rest of us were cleared to exit the
plane. Needless to say, once we boarded for Madison, I was antsy and ready to
be there. And then life got in my face and humbled me. I met my 2 row mates-a
couple in their late 60’s, Andi and Robert. We discussed what we were doing and
after a babbled a bit about Mad City, Andi told me they learned their son Bob,
who lived in Madison, died yesterday. The family was gathering there.
I had a sudden waive of empathy for these 2. We talked some
more; I listed and also told her briefly about loosing my sister and Dad. We
ate peanuts and I got lost in a zone of appreciation for who and what I have in
my life. I had to hide my tears, I really felt deeply and knew that I would use
the race the next day to remind me to actively experience gratitude. For each
loop I wanted to have a person/ experience as the title of that loop.
The shuttle vehicle from the Best Western East Inn and
Suites picked me up at 10pm and delivered me to a really nice hotel! I had
booked the hotel through Hotwire.com. I knew the general area of the hotel and
that it was 2 and ½ stars and it would be $39.00 a night. I was thrilled with
the indoor pool, hot tub, and full cooked breakfast-and on site convenience
store.
My room was a suite: a separate sleeping area and a sitting
area with fridge, microwave, coffee maker and bathtub and Internet. Wow!
Perfect, perfect place to rest before and after the race!
Next day after swimming many tiny laps in the pool and
stretching out in the hot tub, the shuttle took me back to the airport and I
picked up my little rental car. I spent the day hunting. I had mailed myself a
box to the hotel and though priority mail flat rate, it failed to arrive in 5
days. So I hunted for Clif blocks, bars and gels. Not finding more than 3 Clif
gels or drink mix, I went with Gatorade and some other gels. I also went to the
University Arboretum and did a short run on the “hilly” part of the
course-between miles 2-4. A nice out and back and some pushups and crunches
were all the exercise I would do that day.
At packet pick up that night I sat with and interacted with
many great folks and awesome runners who I’ve raced with in the past: Bev Abbs,
Meghan Arbogast, Krissy Moehl, Roy Pirrung, Jenny Capel, Anne Heaslet (who I
learned is married to RD Timo!), and many others. I had goose bumps of
excitement considering the next day.
Bev, checking out of the 100k, nursing an injury "chicked" all the guys and won the 50k outright!
Jenny(8) and Krissy(6) running strong!
Back at the motel, I arranged my stuff, laid out clothes,
ate soup and bread, drank 2 glasses of wine and got to bed with a book. I
stayed awake later than I intended reading, yet still I was resting and so
figured it was okay! At 4:15 the next morning, the real thing all began!
By 6:25, my drinks stashed, warmed up, de-layered,
port-a-pottied, and splits written
on my left forearm (each mile + .2 per lap) with a sharpie- I hovered in a
group of chilly runners awaiting the “go!” And then we were off!
I had planned my race with an overall time of 8:13: and
change. Why this number? Because since I had no idea of what I was capable of,
I put my most recent 50k time into a calculator and was told since I ran a
3:43:48 50k, then I was capable of this for a 100k. Why not? I didn’t have
anything else to go on, so I planned splits for 8:15, knowing my 1st
lap would be faster and I might gain the minutes there. So, on average to run
7:58 per mile for the event. OK. So I had a plan!
During most of lap 1 I could see Meghan ahead of me. I had
no desire to chance or race at this point. I kept remembering a very kind, yet
pointed blog comment I received
from a blog friend that said something like, “run smart, smooth and patient and
then let the fin appear.” This statement wound up chattering in my ear all race
long. It a perfect reminder for me!
I ran with Ryan Dexter for a long time. He was speedy fast
and I had to take good care not to try and keep up-I really enjoyed our
interaction. I met Michael Kanning, a college student of 18 from CA doing his
first 100k…After 4 laps or so, I conserved energy and didn’t do much talking. I
had no clue where the other women were-only that Meghan was ahead. I bobbed
along with various thoughts, music and musings in my head.
My goal was not to win, although that would be freaking
amazing…What I wanted was to run as well as possible for team selection. Having such a singular focus chases
away many demons! I did run laps dedicated to running and my health, my awesome
Mom, Mary Lou, my dad Wes Bednosky who got taken away by cancer in 2005, Ron
and Michele (my bro and sis-in-law) Cheryl (my running twin who died too young
when we were in our early 30’s), Grandma (Mom’s Mom) George (my amazing
husband), his family , etc… Sometimes during those laps I just breathed and
thought of running-yet when I would get doubtful or feel icky, I tried to
remember their songs and faces and loves!
I have to
admit, Cheryl was a big part of the day! And the fact I was in WI was important
too-‘cause during college she ran a very prestigious event in the late
1980’s, “All American cross
country” or something like that… and I flew in from where I was in attendance
at Fredonia State (near Buffalo, NY) to cheer her on. I can’t remember what
happened. She didn’t win, although she was trained and perhaps favored…and I
think she had a bad race…yet to me, running a grassy, wet 5k in less than 19:30
was superhero standards!
I think it was in lap 6 that Melanie Fryer
Strong Melanie keeping pace on the laps!
passed me,
looking strong and youthful and spunky! I cheered her on and continued with my
plan. “If she could hold this pace”, I thought, “she’ll pass Meghan!” Earlier that day I remembered I’d met
Melanie on the Bandera 100k course back in January. She was running well; I was
in a bit of a low, dealing with the sunshine and new-to-me 60+degrees warm
temps. “Well,” I thought, this is not time to react to any one, just keep
running, fueling, drinking and concentrating.
Time continued. I did my job. I had a focus. Run, fuel,
hydrate, easy-go…breathe and keep up the mantra’s of “smart, steady, patient”
and of the experiences of my gratefulness. Somewhere I ran past Melanie.
Jill Perry, my Montrail teammate, was present with me too-I
felt her encouragement and positive influence in my mind and continued on.
This race was a race to the clock. I didn’t know where the
other girls were. By the beginning of lap 9 I wanted to cry. Why? Why was I
running this? Did I really want to run loops and play hamster in Gibraltar?
YES! Oh-heck/goodness/hell YES!
So I didn’t cry, ‘cause I know from experience when I cry
and run I tend to hyperventilate =not a good mix on this day!
I did have a moment of tears as Howard met me at the finish
and I limped around. I was thrilled and touched by the celebration and support
offered to me!
Finishing the race, lookin' worked and none-too-pretty (yet inside I was yippee happy!)
Timing chip being removed and Howard's presence kept me from bawling my eyes out!
As you can tell, from this post, this race was a big deal to
me! Yes, I am thrilled with the
likely prospect of again representing the USA! And I am also thrilled because
this event is showing me that I am still a learner, adventurer, and tenacious
and strong woman able to continue to learn to call upon her resources to
enhance some of what is important to her!
Some folks might think I am “settling” for 2
nd
place-yet with the experience, plan and time, I am so thrilled and truly
celebrate Meghan and my own efforts! Melanie finished 3
rd in
8:18ish, and Krissy soon after. Please see
http://www.madcity100k.com/home.php for stories, photos and
full results of women and men!
I am psyched with my experience of the very cool city of Madison, WI, and the
Mad City Race and outcomes. I will live “ as if” I get to run in Gibraltar in
November, yet I know the team will not be announced until August 9th!
If I can’t run for the World Championship 100k, I reason-then I’ll be in a
great place to run sub 7 at JFK!
I encourage anyone wary of road running or lap running to
check out this venue and race. You can not be bored and I promise, you will be
challenged and get your money’s worth!
