Day 3,904 —Ten Races in Reflection—

 

It is three weeks until the Shippey 100. I thought it was two, but I'm glad I got more time. That means I can do some longer runs and go to the trails next week if I don't feel like it tomorrow. I am not super used to running trails, but I am confident I can do this race. The main variable is the weather.

I was so tired, hungry, and thirsty, yet I still ran 20 miles and could have kept going, but I needed to go home and help watch my kids. It has been so great to spend time with them this past week. My 20-month-old has been so happy, and yet he is also mischievous, strong, and funny. Yesterday, when we took him to the Fox Theater, he spent his time running around in the back and launching himself onto the carpet. Here he comes now, laughing and screaming simultaneously as he walks down the stairs. He is an unstoppable force of energy. When he gets in trouble, he cries and then says, “hug,” until you hug him, and he calms down and smiles at you. I enjoyed being outside today. The weather was nice and the reflection of the clouds on the river made me smile. I also just laugh spontaneously during my run. I was headed down this muddy trail, and suddenly I realized how I could only keep going faster if there was a chance I wasn’t going to fall. It came on suddenly and when I realized how muddy the terrain was and how steep the hill was, I was already barreling towards the ground: it was a raucous good time--fun was had.

10 races: 2, 100 milers; 2, 60 miles +; 1, 50 milers; 2, 50K +; 1, 26.2; 1, 6 milers; 1, 3 milers.

January 13, 2024,          The Shippey Endurance Runs and Relays 100K

This race I meant to do a 100 it is the one I am doing in three weeks. I finished 2nd the first year I ran it in 2023 but last year the cold weather got to be, but I finished 64 miles before I stopped. I am disappointed I called it quit, but it was a unique experience and 64 miles is still nothing to be embarrassed about.

  

April 6, 2024,                 Ozark Foothills 100                3rd overall 26:15:08

I was happy with this race and what I was able to accomplish. The actual distance was 104 miles, and it was fun! The weather was nice, and I was able to recover and finish strong.

April 27, 2024,      Greater St. Louis Marathon              4:04:03

This was my worst time ever and the only time ever to need to take an IV. I took two and still was miserable and had to fight to walk home. Dehydration was definitely a theme this year and this race was the most difficult marathon I have ever run, but still, it was only a marathon and I felt better by the next day.

May 18, 2024,       Berryman 50 mile                            12:34:02     17th

I went the wrong way and finished and drove up with Joel. It was a lot of fun and talked to some guys who were doing it for the first time and I let them finish in front of me, so I guess really I was at least 15th, but whatever I am not complaining. I had more fun doing this with other people compared to the misery of doing most of it by myself.

June 22, 2024,      Dark 2 Dawn Night Trail Race 9hrs           33.5 Miles 10th

It wasn’t my best day, but better than I did last year when I tried to run it without glasses or contacts and had to stop at mile 22 or something, so my first year I won and the past two not so much, but that’s the thing about consistency. You cannot expect to be able to always finish at the top, especially when you’re doing a lot of races in a row, but still, I feel mixed about this one. I made a lot of mistakes.

July 20, 2024,       Get Your Butt Kicked@ Route 66-6hrs       34.189        8th

      

It is a little crazy that I did more in 6 hours than I did in 9 hours, but the races are a lot different. One is almost entirely paved, and the other is on a legitimate trail. Once you have over 6 miles in one loop and the other one it is maybe 3. It is not a lot I remember that. Still, I felt better about how I finished in this race.

August 24, 2024,   Shawnee Hills 100                                   2nd

I am the happiest about this race. It wasn’t easy. I didn’t finish the first two times I tried, so this time I came prepared, and I executed my plan. 

It felt amazing to finally finish this run and to finish in 2nd was just the icing on the cake. 

October 12, 2024, Farmdale Trail Run 60 miles                    

I was going for a 100, and I only did a little over 60, so perhaps my lowest point of the year? Still, I did my best and learned a lot that day, so I have no regrets about showing up that day. It is a run like this that makes the ones that go well so much more meaningful. This wasn’t a difficult trail and the weather was nice, but I got sick and dehydrated and couldn’t continue. Maybe it was smart to not finish. I did sleep a while before deciding to stop like I planned. Next time possibly I’ll plan on just sleeping there and continue when I can up until the cut-off point. I mean, why not? What was there to lose?

November 28, 2024,       Kirkwood Webster Turkey Day Run 3m (241/4635) and 6m (35/320)

I do not do a lot of shorter races. This is the only one I still do, but still, it is nice to progress in areas that aren’t your strengths. The 6-mile was the fastest I have ever completed it at 41:15 (6:53 min/mi). I know that’s not fast, but I like that a race I have done at least 10 times before I had my best time now when I am so much older compared to when I was in my 20s when I did it for the first time. On this day in 2024, I was faster than I was in my 20s.