This past weekend I ran the Quad Rock 50 Miler. It was, as many had told me, a difficult race. With about 11,000ft of vertical gain/loss, it slowed me down a lot. All was good, I was feeling strong and happy and in 6th place. However, a little after mile 14 I was bombing down a loose, rocky section and my left toe caught a rock and before I knew what was happening I was skidding down the path on my belly, hands out in front in Superman style, my legs taking the brunt of the fall. I got up to make sure I was ok, I was bleeding and my right knee felt a little funny. Soon after as I was trying to analyze my situation, a woman ran up and asked if I was ok, she offered to stay with me but I told her I was fine and to go on ahead. I followed her but my pace had slowed...I was both a little shaken up and still feeling some pain. The first thing that went through my head was, just quit at the 25mile point (the halfway checkpoint), at this checkpoint, you could evidently stop and it would not count as a DNF but as if you finished the 25 miler. But after a couple more miles the pain I had felt seemed to disappear...but since I was already feeling negativity from the fall, I had to fight the DNF demons that kept telling me I had a reason to drop. Just drop, people would understand...but then the fighter in my brain said no way, you’re not even really hurt, don’t quit...nobody else will know but you will. You cannot live with that! So as I reached the 25mile turn around point and people made a big deal about my blood and offered a chair, I simply said, no way...I’m not sitting. I grabbed some more fluids and was on my way. I “ran” or shuffled almost the entire climb, only power-hiking on the super steep sections.
As I reached the top of that “first climb in the second half” I started to develop a cough, this is something that has happened in many races before so I just thought, no big deal...just super annoying. Lots of runners asked if I were ok because every couple feet I was coughing. As the miles ticked by this also messed with my head...maybe another reason to drop? But, I didn’t let those thoughts stay in my head. My pace had slowed but I was still running. Several women passed me at this point and I guessed that I was somewhere around 10th place.
The last 10 miles are kind of a blur. I did come into the final checkpoint at mile 49, took one last swig of cola to get me to the finish, however, soon after leaving that checkpoint, I got a wave of nausea (first of the race so I’d say that was a win) and vomited up everything that was in my stomach. I didn’t care because I could see the finish. As soon as I crossed the finish-line I couldn’t stop coughing and actually wasn’t able to catch my breath. There were some EMT’s there that brought me into the ambulance and gave me a breathing treatment which really seemed to help. They also had me go to the ER where they took an X-ray of me and prescribed an inhaler and told me I should see a pulmonary doc. Not the best way to end the race but I’m so happy I stuck it out and didn’t let the negative talk win!
This is why I love Ultrarunning...your brain has to fight with your brain to push through and finish what you started. Now, I can’t help but wonder, how the hell am I going to run a 100 miler in a couple months?!?!
50 Miles
11,000Ft of Vert Gain/Loss
11:33:31 hours
11th Place Woman
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