On Cloud Nine

Man was it ever a crazy weekend. Seemed like it was always go-go -go non stop. We left Friday afternoon for Ft. Worth for me to run my first ultra (50k) at Cowtown. I ran my 31 miles got my hardware and then I was back in the truck laying down getting what rest I could get before we hit Atoka,OK. for my 2nd ultra (1st trail race ever.) Then it was back in the truck but this time I was moving a lot slower and was hurting so very badly I had to push my body weight up with just my arms to get in the truck. My legs didn't want to work anymore.

Cowtown:
Okay so for a future note to anyone who wants to know the weather on race day do not check it the Monday before the race. Things do change, weather wise that is. So on Friday when I was packing all my running gear and anything else I might need I was still thinking that it was going to be a high of 74 with morning temps in the 40's with winds blowing at 8mph. Little did I know that was all about to change. Friday night I could hardly sleep and maybe got a combined total of about 4 hours. Saturday when The alarm went off at 4:30 I was dreading to 31 miles I still had to run. I was not feeling very well but knew I had to a least start the race to see what I could do. So I put on my running skirt, still thinking that it will warm up I didn't even bother with my tights that I had packed for Atoka. I throw on a running tank and a long sleeves t-shirt with a light jacket over that, I was planning a giving Andrew my jacket before the start but soon changed my mind when I walked to the tent and was freezing then. I just barely got my garmin to connect when the starting gun went off. I took a couple of deep breathes and off I went. I saw Jenni at the start and ran with her until we hit the first water stop and then I did not see her again until about mile 9. Some how out of pure luck Linda was running up behind me and noticed the ponytail of mine swinging side to side. Thinking God that I now had someone to run with we went along at a great pace, knocking out the miles until about mile 15 when Linda's I-pod was acting up and she had to slow down to fix it. I was feeling great and was playing my normal mind games telling myself to keep going that I could make it to the next mile. I made it all the way to mile 19 until I had to stop and walk or I knew that I would never make it to the end. So I was walking and eating some sport beans, then it was back to running. I really didn't notice that wind as a problem until after I got done eating my beans and had to start running again, right into the wind. I was hating every minute of it. Starting to get worried that I had missed a turn somewhere cause all that was around me were marathoners. Come to find out we don't split from them until about mile 23, and that is when it became very lonely. Running somewhere in Ft. Worth, TX by myself is not one of my favorite things and especially when I have no idea where I am at. Running on a trail that is like the LaFortune trail I was hating every step I had to take. I was running from mile 23-26 into the wind. Finally I made it to the turn around and the wind was now at my back. Some where along the way my hands started to swell, I noticed this on the trail, and it freaked me out I could not even move any of my rings. I didn't have anything with me to fix this problem so I just had to keep running. I knew I was less then knew I was 5 miles away from the finish line. I was differently not prepared for all the hills and I had nothing but GU and one pkg of beans with my I wanted food, I needed food. I made it back into downtown Ft. Worth and I was pumped, Crossing the finish line was a great feeling but it was not over yet I know I still had one more 50k to get through.

I didn't think that I could finish it but was going to try and start the race in Atoka, when I got one of the best phone calls I could ever ask for. The great TZ called and was asking if I was still running the AOK 50k, and that's when he told me about a little bet that him and Brian had going on. knowing that I had a 6pack of beer bet on me I had to prove Brian wrong.

AOK-Atoka:
My first attempt of running/jogging was when Dan, Johnny, Ken and I was headed to the start/finish line for our early start, I had to look like I was 110 and trying to run. I felt like I was barely moving. My muscles were not sore but man were my knees hurting. Once we got to the trails I was pumped and feeling great. At like 2.5 miles into the trail run somehow we took a wrong turn and had to go back. Now headed to the first aid station I fixed my socks while everyone else eat some Gatorade (it was all frozen). Off we went. by the time that we got through half of the first loop of two everyone else had started the race. Some how it got out that I had ran a 50k the day before, cause everyone was asking how I felt. I was feel amazingly great nothing was hurting and most of all I was having fun. Every time that we pasted Brian and I still had a smile on my face I think he wanted to throw the biggest rock he could find to get me to stop running. I have only ran trails once before and that was at Turkey mt. for 5 miles. So everything was new to me. There were differently enough hills and rocks to keep you on your toes but some how with the help of Ken I made it through my first 25k loop. While about 1/2 mile into our second loop we spotted Kathy and Brian finishing their loop. We stopped and talked to them, asking me how I felt and at that time I was still feeling great. But then came my evil spill and I starting to feel like I was going to throw up. I needed some salt and I needed it bad. My hands were starting to swell little until I ate some crackers and I some good ol' salt. About half way through the second loop my quads where just shredded and I'm sure looked like hamburger meat. It was so painful going down the hills that I just wanted to cry. But I sucked it up mostly because Ken would never quit on me and kept push me on. Andrew starting to get worried about us started walking the trail backwards to look for us, he just had a fear that I had fallen and was hurt really bad. When we met him with a mile and a half left it was great to see his smiling face, then he asked a very strange question..... Are you hurt? my response was "Everything hurts, is that a serious question? Ken was in front of me when we got to the lake that was between us and the finish line. when he stopped and had everyone clapping and shouting my name. It was a great feeling that kept me moving on for another mile or so. Then there is was the best sight that I saw all day long... The finish line. Ken and I came across together. Then I had to hug Kathy and get congrats from Brian, then I had to bend over and put my hands on my knees cause I hurt so bad. I had just finished back to back 50ks in two days and I was so happy I started to cry. Andrew walked over to me, and hug me told me he was so proud of me. Ken was nice enough to share his winning beer with me and oh it tasted so good.

Moral of the story......
Never bet against a bean!!!!

Thanks for the motivation Brian!!
I can't wait until next year when I can do all over again.