Day 3,784 —Reflections on the Shawnee 100 Part IV: the Short Version—

Today,

I don’t remember a lot about this morning, except that the TV was still playing when I went downstairs. I remember starting an episode of a British murder mystery show, but not having any memories of finishing it.

I ran kind of half-paying attention this morning. I remember passing a guy who was sitting on the sidewalk and had his feet in the street. I first passed him and then went back and told him that it might not be such a great idea to have your feet in the road on a busy street. He was very thankful that I took the time to stop and tell him. I don’t know why I do stuff like that. It is just hard seeing somebody doing something that could cause them pain. I want to start bringing sunscreen lotion in my car to give to the people I see who are outside all day. They need some hats and sunscreen at the very least. My dad told me he thinks they're working some type of sophisticated scheming system, which just seems silly to me, I don’t know why some people believe that everyone is working an angle.

Anyway, my point is that it is just not smart to be outside in the sun all day to earn a little bit of money. You need an umbrella, you need a hat, sunglasses, and regularly applied sunscreen. Nobody wants to be on the street all day getting eaten up by the elements. And nobody wants to get hit by a car by accident.

Day 3,779-3,780—the Shawnee 100 Part IV: The Summary—

I believe all the runs outside over the summer paid off because my body was handling the heat in a way that it just didn’t the first year. Also, how I trained on trails for the past couple of weekends before the race made it so much easier for me to get in the groove of a trail race. I got used to knowing how to vary my pace, to be able to go hard when I need to.

When my dad and I left, we went to Burger King and I got the Impossible Whopper, no mayo, add mustard. It didn’t hit like I thought it would. The onions tasted odd, but with all the sugary drinks I had been consuming, it is not surprising that I was tasting stuff differently.

        

When I was happy

Seeing the sunrise on the third lap. I didn’t cry, but part of me wanted to. It is so odd, but at the same time cathartic, when I start to cry during races. Tears fall from my eyes, but it is rare for me to sob--but during races sometimes I do.

When I was Scared

When I heard the sound of and animal that I couldn’t identify. I thought it might have been a bear, but I don’t know. It was scary, and I wasn’t sure what to do.

When I wanted to quit

During lap 2 when the sun was still up. I was so angry, and everything was irritating me. I knew it was going to get better, but right then I was so done with this stupid idea that I had to run this race. 

Mistakes

I didn’t eat enough, nor did I change socks enough. I needed to slow down early and change socks at every opportunity. I missed one chance to change socks and next time I could put the sock on my bag, so I could change them after the first 8 miles. I also didn’t need all the shirts and shorts I brought. I do want to change shirts and socks three times I think at a minimum, but I didn’t need as many as I brought. I need more salty snacks to eat early in the race. 

 Will I do it again?

Yes, I will be back. I want to do this in under 24 hours. I think I can do it, if not next year, in the future. This is a fun, challenging course that resonates with me. The aid stations are always fantastic, and I loved seeing all the familiar faces this year. This is a great community that is super supportive.

Advice to future participants

I would encourage you to do a lot of summer training and practice as many trails as you have access to prior to the race. If you can compete in a night trail race, that would be an ideal way to prepare. You will need bug spray and various ways to stay cool. I used a cool rag that was helpful this year. Also, make sure you either have the course on your watch or on your phone. You might not need it if you’re running with someone who does, but be prepared to have a difficult time navigating at night on this trail. Also, you got to figure out how to laugh and be happy while you’re out there.