Brief Update on Rocky Raccoon 50 miler

With Jamie D at the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile sign before the race. Jamie finished first place women in a bit over 16 hours. She is an amazing run and a great person with a HUGE heart!

With my mom along the course...notice my chipmunk cheeks. At aid stations I really load up with food so unless I get a picture right before the aid station I tend to have my mouth full! My mom got to see me about 4 times along the course which was nice. I hear she talked with many runners and many runners crews because she was unsure where I was, it was funny along the course I would get "messages" indicating my mom was up ahead looking for me.

In the penalty box (this sign completely cracked me up!) I did not whine but just wanted to sit to take a moments rest. If only I had taken the time to whine about 15 times, I could have taken a half hour rest (it says "Penalty Box: 2 minutes per whine")

With my friend Wayne who I met at VT100 (in fact Tristan drove, Wayne, Frank, Emmy and I to the VT100 in 2008). He finished the 100 miler and did really well.

With my new friends who were so nice and cheerful along the course. I currently am sleep deprived and have forgotten virtually everyones name (and even my own if I did not have a shirt with my name on it:-)

This past weekend I flew to Texas to see my mom and run Rocky Raccon 50 miler as a training run for Umstead 100. I had a great time during the race, saw lots of friends, made lots of new friends and of course got to hang with my mom for a bit.

I ended up PRing for a 50 miler by 1 hour and 10 minutes!! I finished in 10 hours and 26 minutes which considerably better then I even hoped in my wildest dreams. My minimum goal was 12 hours, my lofty goal was seconds below 11 hours but sub 10:30 was not even on my radar.

I was amazed as I was running to be having a great day in which everything was just working out. I love warm weather, the course was manageable and the "double" back sections gave me so much energy as I was encouraged and able to encourage other runners along the course (although as usual I was the only one with my name on my shirt...so everyone else got encouraging words with their number unless I knew them, sorry!).

I met so many wonderful people during the race and had so many friends on the course. I am incredibly blessed to know so many wonderful people and the list keeps growing!

After I finished my run I took a bit of time to walk and stretch out with my mom, then volunteered most of the night at the start/finish line. It was nice to spend some time with my mom during the weekend. And of course volunteering is such a great way to continue feeling the energy of a race without actually being in it:-) I got to see my friend Jamie D finish as first place female, missed seeing my friend Anthony P finish (between 4 and 6 a.m. I thought I would puke and did not want to disturb the other runners so I hid in my rental car, which I had bought every insurance known to man just in case I did puke in it) and did see my friend Wayne finish. And of course I got to see many of my friends who I met along the course including 50 milers: Amy, Ed, Frankie, "Francis and Joe" (my ride to the Breakers Marathon in 2007), and 100 milers: Dane (#15 until the 3rd lap when I finally asked his name), Frank P, Colin, Dave, #90 (who seemed to be going about the same pace for 20 miles as I was for the 16 miles) and so many others.