battlerealmsrule: EPIC...

As far as running goes this spring has been rough. I convinced Joell to do her first 50k and it was 12 degrees with 6 inches of snow followed by a 100 mile DNF and a 101k DNF with knee and ankle problems to go along with it all. However I have learned that the success of my race or your race is not solely based on placing top 3 overall, top 3 in your age group, or even a PR. The success of races has changed to how my experience was and will I go back. The week leading up to the Inaugural FlatRock 101k was very eventful. I had an ultrasound on my knee to see if a cortisone shot would help me on Monday. The Dr. and I both decided that the shot was not what I needed. As I was getting ready to leave we talked about an old injury that may be causing some of my problem with my knee. He got me some orders to get an x-ray of my ankle. Tuesday I had my physical therapy and felt great. Thursday I got my x-ray done and find out the full scope of the problem on May 4th. Friday morning the twins joined me at my physical therapy. The twins showed me how to do all of my exercises and "helped" a couple of the older ladies that were in doing their therapy by bringing smiles to their faces for an hour. At the end of therapy, I did something that I rarely do. I was asked to promise. My physical therapist Michelle asked me to promise that if I were to experience any pain associated with my knee problem that I would stop running and walk to the nearest aide station and pull myself. Much against my objection to making promises I agreed.Joell got off work and we loaded up and headed to Independence in the rain. We got to packet pick-up and I stepped over and ran into Eric, Polly, and Zach. I got my packet and filled out my waiver for Joell to pace me. Zach followed me back to the Jeep and said hi to Joell and the girls. When we left it was still raining, but the forecast was for a break about 2 am and 71 degrees with some sun. As the alarm went off at 4:45 I heard not birds chirping but rain pattering off the roof. We headed out to the start with the hopes of a good day for all starting and volunteering. A little prerace conversation and then it was time. Heading right outside the shelter to the road. A few last words by the RD Eric Steele, a ten second count down, and then we were off. As we started out I was doing a quick assessment of how my knee was feeling on the road so that once I hit the trail I could do a comparison. Eric stood by the trail entrance so we all got into the trail without issue and to give us one last word of encouragement. My very first step into the trail I knew it was going to be a struggle as the slosh caused me to give the first of many slips. Going up the first hill I was just concentrating on each step making sure. As the miles clicked off the worst thing that could happen to me did I started to feel that pain that was the source of the promise I made. I told myself that this wasn't possible because I was only 5 miles or so into the race. As I slowed my pace, more and more people passed me. Before I knew it I was at a walk and pretty much knew I was done. I thought to myself that maybe I can walk for a while and just give that muscle a rest? What was I thinking? This is FLATROCK! There is no spot to rest. Coleen and Deb passed me asking how my knee was doing. I think they were both just being nice (thank you by the way), but knew if they were passing me this early in the race I wasn't doing good. A little later and a few more people later I knew I was 100% done for the day. Ken passed me like I was not moving. He was kind enough to slow to my snail pace and talk with me for a bit. Then he was off. Disappearing into the trees I was once again just walking with my thoughts. I pulled into Oakridge and talked with Jason Dinkel and made the decision that was a given and that was to step off and get healthy to run another day. Usually when my race is over my adventure ends, but not today. We went to the turnaround, Tony's Hacienda, and picked up my drop bag. I was actually fearing going to do this because I knew Tony was a no nonsense, quitting is not an option, kind of guy. I had to get my drop bag so we went. Tony made me feel 1000 times better about the situation when he told me that there is a time to be hard and a time to be smart and I made the right decision. While we were there Zach Adams rolled into the aide station in very high spirits running with Tammy Winn and Michele McGrew. I stepped over while he was getting what he needed and asked if he had gotten a pacer. When he said no I basically volunteered Joell knowing that she was looking forward to running with me and would feel the same way about helping anyone else. In Zach Adams fashion I got a "HELL YEAH SHE CAN PACE ME! THIS IS A BLAST!" Since I was done running for the day, I told Joell I was going to help for a while.I went and showered then returned to Tony's aide station. While waiting for the front runners to return on their second trip Tony, Steve Baker, and myself shared stories of our running adventures. You can guess that Leadville and Badwater trumped any story that I had. I almost felt like a sponge absorbing in all this information about good things to do and not so good things to do. It was almost as though I wasn't suppose to run the race on this day?!?! As the runners started coming in it was amazing how fresh some looked and how pained others look. The common feature on everyone was mud and HUGE grins from ear to ear. We messaged Jason so that I knew when to go and get Joell from my grandparent's house in Independence. I got the message, grabbed the thermos and went off to pick up Joell. I got her back to the turnaround with about 20 minutes to spare. Joell jumped in and helped a few runners and as Zach and Michelle came in she threw on her pack and helped get their stuff filled with Steve. I rummaged through Zach's pack finding all the creams for his foot blister concoction. Tony was rocking out burgers and vegan burgers for everyone as they were coming in. Before I knew it they were off and we were now just waiting for a handful of people. I loaded up the drop bags and drove to Jason and Dana's aide station to meet Zach, Joell, and Michelle. You could hear them from quite a distance as it was pretty quiet other than the voices of this group of 3. Some things happened in this stretch of trail, but to hear about that you have to check out either part 2 or part 3 of Zach's blog when he gets them posted. I'm not one for throwing out the spoiler alerts. Once they were off Jason, his daughter, Dana, and myself chatted about just about everything you could think of while helping runners as they came through. I loaded up their drop bags and then was on my way to the finish line.Sitting around the fire sharing stories watching the rock in the wee hours of the morning was unreal. It was neat seeing the head lamps scurrying along the hillside. About 20 minutes after the lights went out of view they would once again pop up on the small paved section of this course. A crazy fog rolled over the dam at one point. As the time ticked by it came to the point where the next set of 3 lights would be them bringing it home. As Zach and Michelle finished I thought I would be disappointed that I wasn't finishing with them, but it was weird... I was disappointed and ecstatic at the same time even though I didn't think that was possible. I WAS disappointed that I wasn't finishing with them, but knew that there were other races I would run with them.Sitting down for breakfast I met the women's co-winner Candi. When I thought that I couldn't meet anymore badasses that are extremely humble and down to earth I get surprised over and over again. I see many runs and epic adventures with Jason, Zach, Michelle, Candi, and my wife. One of these days I'll actually get to run a race with Eric, Polly, and Tony, but they all put on amazing races that I sign up for them all and as a result, I am recovering when they are racing.
Source:http://becamearunningaddict.blogspot.com/2013/05/epic.html

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