Living in the Past: Rocky Raccoon 50 mile 2009

This past week I was really excited to finally recieve my copy of UltraRunning Magazine. Friends had alluded to a picture in the magazine including one of me! When I finally got my magazine (seriously I think I could have run to the distributer faster then the US Postal system got this mail to me) I saw my picture.

I think it is pretty good. Although my husband commented that I should be looking up and paying attention to the picture. I informed my husband that if I did look up, this picture would be labeled "Tammy Massie: Face Plant #1" or "Tammy Massie earning a 0 for technical merit, composition and artistic impression on her Fall".

I did really enjoy Rocky Raccoon and am ready to sign up for next year. But before I do that, I probably am going to sign up for Javalina 100 mile. I have so many friends doing this race, heard many really great things about it, there is a state high point right by the course (which benefits my husband and his climbing) and of course my calendar is free the weekend of Oct 31rst!

So far the endorphins of my Umstead 100 mile have not abated and I have already signed up for a marathon one week after VT100 mile (although it has a 24 hour time limit), I signed up for a 50 km two weeks after VT100 and if I could send in my check now for Javalina, it would be in the mail!

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.