Stone Cat 50 race recap

A Sleep Deprived ultra runner

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The week before running Stone Cat 50 miler, I prepared with 2 different nutrient plans and multiple chats with my coach. My training was spot on; a lot of yoga, foaming rolling , massage, stretches and a lot of packing.  I cut back my miles all month long, only ran at night (no 6am runs) and even lost 3 lbs instead of gaining by eating healthy instead of eating the chicken wing dip that was calling my name.

I discussed a race game plan with my crew that consisted me running lap 1 by myself without support, lap 2 & 3 Rick was moving from aid station to aid station and Janel and Keri to be at the start/finish to run lap 4 and I do not care what I said… they were to get me to every check point before cut offs.  Did I forget anything??  What else was there to think about.

We traveled to Ipwisck, MA and it was too dark to go and eat by the ocean like I wanted, so we went to the British Beer Company for an amazing dinner and a few pre-race beers.  Rick and I watched some TV and I tried to fell asleep.  11pm my head hit the pillow and I was out for 30 minutes (2 UFC fights).  Rick rolls over to turn off the TV and the light and I woke up.  You guessed it, that was it… I was up for the next 3 hours.  I finally fell back to sleep around 3am and the alarm went off at 4am. 

Let's pause here and go back…   I had 3 Dr. appointments this month trying to get a handle on these hot flashes and night sweats that have been preventing me from getting a full restful night of sleep for months.  I was given new medication on Thursday but knew the rule - Do not change anything before a race.  I made the choice to wait until after the race to start them.  I usually can get one a week with a full 8 hours of sleep a week. My calculations were for this to occur either Thursday or Friday.  This however did not happen.  It had been over 2 weeks since I had a full 8 hours of sleep.

After getting dressed and final packing, I went down stairs for the free breakfast provided for Stone Cat racers.  I saw Joe and met his friends and I saw Jamie, Mike and Greg.  I skipped my coffee and had hot tea (normal race day routine).  3 bites of powered eggs, 1 sausage and an English muffin later, we left and headed to the start.  I looked around and told Rick that I was way out of my league… what the hell was I thinking?  I pinned my bib to my leg, and he told me my little thighs were not big enough anymore for such a large bib. :)  I moved up to the side to hear pre-race announcements and somewhere around 6:15am, the former Race Director (an inspirational stroke survivor), said “go” we were off. 

I'm so out of league

Pre-race announcements

By positioning myself to hear the announcements, I was in the perfect location: the slowest of the fast people.  I didn't have to fight for position on the single track, rolling hills.  We had 2 bottle necks that turned into a brief walk.  I was in my happy place.  I got to the first aid station, Fast Freddie's Café,  4.6 miles into the race at 7:08am,  Jamie's crew were there.  I gave them a huge smile, two thumbs up and ran thru the aid station.  I was carrying and drinking 30oz of caffeinated Tailwind and a separate water bottle.  I planned to skip aid stations unless I needed to refill or eat something other than Amrita bars or PB pretzels. This next 4 miles to Al Cat's Lounge aid station was the same thing.  Technical single track, rolling hills with a few service roads.  I got thru here at 7:54am.  I was still feeling great.  I made a friend Aerial along the way and we chatted about our racing adventures.  I gave another  thumbs up to Jamie’s crew and walked a bit to send Rick a text that Mike had my jacket.  Jamie still wasn't feeling great and did not know if she was going to continue. Her crew was going to try and keep her out there.  

This next section was the worst.  Somewhere around mile 9.6 there was a creepy ass clown in the woods encouraging  runners up their 1st real hill. I stopped for a selfie and Facebook post to my stalkers; who were sending me love from home.  The course was laid out in the reverse direction from last year, so this point used to be the beginning.  By going this way we now have a direct climb hill and then in another ½ mile was a switchback hill.  Again, I felt right at home with these "hills" and attacked them in HBO fashion.  I got back to the start and finish 12.5 miles in 2 hours 30 minutes.  I saw Greg and Mike and told them that I loved this course and I felt great.  I finally saw Rick after drinking half of a monster.  He told me to slow down;  Ben said 3 hrs per lap.  I agreed and told him I would walk a bit this next lap.

Creepy clown at mile 9.6

Off I went. On the short out and back section, I finally saw Jamie.  She looked miserable.  She had been fighting off a cold and I could tell that she didn't want to be here.  I told her she was doing fine.  She is also way ahead of schedule and she would regret quitting.  We pounded knuckles and she ran in to see her crew. 

I ran this 1st section again, trying to walk a bit more while trying to eat.  When you walk, you notice hills that you didn't notice before.  I stepped on a pinecone or something and my left leg slipped and I instantly felt pain up my IT band into my right hip.  This is the damn hip that gave me a problem only once before at Green Lakes 50k. That time was due to a change in my running form due to a bee sting in my Achilles tendon.  DAMN IT!  I made it to Fast Freddie's AS around 9:50am (mile 16).  I saw Rick, got another Amrita bar and told him I was ready for a beer at the next aid station.  I kissed him and off I went. 

 

Salmon Shirt guy

Me and Aerial

Tilted head guy (didn't make lap3 cutoff)

 

STONECAT

Took at selfie a bit later with the official StoneCat mascot and  ahead of me I saw the former RD who had started the race.  I walked with this amazing man for a 1/4 mile.  This man had a stroke in this same park.  He was running with friends and almost died several times; but they perform a new procedure on him and he pulled through.  He was told he would never walk again and here he was… walking 2 loops of this course.  I was so inspired I ran this next section thinking about it.  If this guy was out by himself, he would be dead today.  His running family saved his life (in more ways than 1).  I cried thinking about this… I missed my SAS crew.  

I never run alone, I like running and talking to folks.  Other than Aerial, and chatted with a guy in a Salmon colored shirt and an older man who ran with his head tilted more than me.   I got to the next Al Cat Aid station.  Rick and Jamie's crew were standing before it waiting with my wonderful cold beer!  I drank it heartily and told him this was starting to suck.  My hip was hurting so we agreed I need to start taking arnica.   I kissed my lover and again ran up to the aid station.  They refilled my water and tailwind and I looked at a table along the side.  There was a memorial for Al's along with his running shoes.  During the race announcements, they explained that Al had manned this AS since the beginning and that he passed away a few months prior.  I walked away from his aid station balling my eyes out.  I cried for the next mile.  I couldn't stop.  I posted to Facebook, trying to stop the sad thoughts.  I was getting my shit together while walking up 1 of the 2 hills in this section and Jamie nudged my arm.  I was so happy to see that she was feeling better and was catching up.  I asked her if she saw the RD and told her his story.  She looked good and off she went.  Wait a min….  Did she catch up or am I losing time?

Now I never run a race with a set time goal.  I run to have fun.  Ben said 3 hours per loop… this means  1 hour per aid station. But I have 30 minutes banked from lap one….  I'm fine… wait, I'm not.  I suck. I can't do this, I'm out of my league, my hip hurt, I can't do this, I'm letting Rick down, I'm letting Ben down, I'm letting my SAS crew down… I miss my friends, I miss their encouragement…. OSTRANDER STOP it, you are unstoppable, you are badass, you got this….  This is the mental battle I had with myself for the next 4 miles.

I finally almost done with this horrible lap and Jamie is coming out again for lap 3. When I went thru the aid station I filled the wrong bottle with Tailwind.  Looked at all the food and everything seemed sweet and nothing I could eat.  Kris, Janel, Robin and Kerri were all there waiting for me at this lap.  I changed my shirt and grabbed a different cold water bottle and yes, and a victory beer.  I forgot my other watch, and phone charger because I was running low on battery power and I longed to just sit for a minute in my chair…  but I had to go. 

1/2 way, Mile 25 by Noon

This is where shit got bad.  I tried to do the math…  it's 12pm…  I thought I was ahead of schedule.  How did I lose so much time? Negative thoughts filled my head, sad thoughts filled my head and I was crying again.  I was popping arnica and NOT eating.

I cannot tell you what time for sure I came into Fast Freddie's 4.6 miles later, but I think it was almost 1:45 hours.  I saw Rick right before that aid station and I sobbed in his arms. He hugged me so tight and I told me that I was amazing and badass and that I could do this.  I told him that there was no way I was making the cut off.  I was so embarrassed that I ran from him into the woods without anything from our bag or the aid station.

I just wanted my lover's arm

That hug from Rick helped.  I made the decision to use what battery was left for my phone to listen to music to get these negative thoughts out of my head.  It seems to be working and I was running harder during this section than during the 1st loop; but my watch said 20/mm. I had a long talk with myself.  I was beyond a 50k, which was the farthest that I had ever gone and I would go until I was pulled off the course.  Quit is not in my vocabulary.  I would finish 37 miles just after the 3:15pm cutoff. I was ok with that.  Salmon shirt passed me during this section and I knew he was thinking that same thoughts as I was.  He was going for it and I wished him luck.  I made it to the Al Cat AS, not crying and I told my crew that I was ok and that I ok not making it… I was going to enjoy this last section.  But my crew had other plans.  Janel and Kerri were geared up and ready to break the rules and get me to the cut off.  Yes, I'm crying again.  My lover smacked my ass, told me I was badass, Kris force fed me pretzels, Robin gave me a hug… Kerri, Janel and I were off.  :)

(Mile 33) Kerri was my leader and Janel got behind me  without a watch; only a clock. I had 1:15 hours until the 3:15pm cut off for the last 12.5 mile loop.  Janel is the nicest person is the world and that is why she is my BFF.  She spent these 4 miles encouraging me every step that I made.  Just get to that tree, just walk for 10 steps, you are awesome, you are amazing, Let's roll.  What she didn't know during that last lap, that I listened to my theme song over and over again.  My theme song is Let it Roll by Divide the Day.  This song normally fires me up to pass each hater and everyone person on a course.  But instead this was me that was losing. 'Try To Hide But There's No Way Out, You're going Down, You're Going Down."   

NO, this is not happening… I played it again… this time I heard it differently- "Someone Said You're Feeling Brave tonight, (Step Up), Do You really Want To Cross The Line, (Right Now), Go Ahead And Try To Take What's Mine. Let It Roll, Let It Roll I'm Unstoppable"   Yes, I wanted to cross the finish line… this race is mine…  I'm unstoppable

So when Janel kept saying Let’s roll it reaffirmed my decision to get to that finish line. I was running to keep Kerri's sneakers in my view.  She was the pacer.  I was struggling to keep a 17/MM pace.  This was the hilly section.   After the 2 hills I knew we had  1.5 miles at the end to do or die.  We picked up the pace and when we hit the out and back section, I was crying because it was 3:10.  I ran thru the spectators and over the timing mat.  I did it.  The RD came over to me.  What did I need to finish?  I needed those grill cheese sandwiches.  I have pacers and yes, I was getting to that next aid station.  Time is of the essence now.  Again, Kris gave me more PB pretzels, Rick handed me a beer, Janel and Kerri got watches and tailwind and we were off. (Mile 37)

I have to admit Lap 4 was a blur.  There was a lot of conversation with Kerri and Janel.  I needed to just listen and save my energy.  Janel drags her feet a lot, but I was the one who fell. :)  We laughed about our Ragnar adventure and our 2016 team, the honey badgers.  This was our new thing… Honey badgers are badass like Heather.  I could not have done this without these girls.

We hit the downhill road section and I open up my legs and was flying as fast as I could.  I knew that I again had less than 1 mile to make up time.  Right before the AS we catch up to lonely runner named Tammy.  Her watch died and we told her we have 10 mins to get to the AS.  We jumped in behind Janel and we made the next aid station by 4:26 (4 mins to spare).  (Mile 41)

Same routine, Kris stuffing food in my mouth, Rick handed me a beer, Janel and Kerri got supplies.  Rick hugged me and showed me a bottle of Dr. MCGillicuddy.  Some people see a penny, a rainbow, a blue jay or something that lets them know that an angel from heaven is with them.  For Team O, the Dr. means that my father-in-law is with us.   Frank Sr. was telling me that I was ok, that I was stronger than this battle and I would get to that finish line.  I was teary eye, but this encouraged me.  I saw a spot and finally earned my 1 minute sit down to rest.  They helped me up and we were off with Tammy.

Same routine:  Kerri was leading, Janel was my water holder and encouragement and then Tammy was behind her.  They were not kidding at the pre-race speech, it got dark fast.  We took our time but kept moving fast thru this section.  When we got to the last aid station, the man informed us that we again had 1:15 hours to get to the finish line.  Wait, we thought we were passed all the time cutoffs… nope, anyone after 6:30pm does not finish.  You S.O.B.  I told him to talk to Kerri and Janel and I did not need this pressure.  After kissing Rick, he told me I would make it. (Mile 45)

This was the last time I would have to see these stupid ass hills.  We moved at the fastest pace I could manage.  Janel said to run 10 steps, I would go 15 or 20.  The 6 times that I took Arnica, along with running hip stretches worked wonders and I was virtually pain free.  We ran at the fastest pace I could muster.   It was dark and Kerri was using 2 flashlight to try and find the stupid ribbons that were used to mark the course.  Hill number one down.  Switchback hill means hill 2 is done.  2 miles left.   Kerri informed me that I would not make it if I did not find a new pace.  I told her to go and I would follow.  I was able to keep up as I kept looking back to see that Tammy was falling more behind.  I asked Janel to drop back and stay with her. I could not leave a runner alone in the woods  when it was this dark.  This is another reason why I love this girl!  So Kerri and took off.  I somehow found 8:30/mm in my poor legs, almost missed the last turn, but crossed the finish at 12:19 hours (11 mins to spare).  Tammy finished  1 min behind me.  :)

No more tears for this girl. Just smiles and hugs for anyone that stayed in the pitch dark to encourage us to cross before 6:30pm.   (Mile 50)

50 miles 12:19:22, Overall:104

awesome bling

I need to send a huge thank you to my crew at home sending me positive vibes. I felt all of them including my coach Ben, who was sending me text messages of encouragement. 

To Rick, for allowing me to sacrifice family time for training and for picking me up when I needed you; you are always my biggest fan and my rock; I love you soooo much. 

To Kerri for pacing me and opening up your beautiful house to me after.

To Kris and Robin for encouragement and food; thank you making the trip to MA. 

To Janel… the best BFF and girl could ask for.  I was in the sad place for over 20 miles.  Your kind heart and endless encouragement help "to roll" with the pace Kerri set all the way to the finish.  I love you sister.

My awesome crew!!!

What have I learned since the race?  I ran with DSD – Damn Sleep Deprivation.  I was able to fight this battle until mile 20, then I would have lost to it.  I couldn't mentally or physically overcome this, so I was ready to accept defect. 

Bottom line, my DSD training had me prepared for up to 24 miles maybe a 50k.  I was on empty, at the same time my watch battery died. I ran on this low internal battery for 20 miles.  Through encouragement and strength, we jump started my tank and took every last bit of energy I had to make each cut off.  I did it, I'm a 50Mile Ultra runner and I am looking forward to a break.  I need to get my sleeping in check before I can try to accomplish anything else.  Knowledge is power and now I truly understand how important sleep is.

How Do You Know If You Have DSD?

• Everything makes you cry –  I normally cry and move on… not cry for 20 miles, 4 hrs straight
• You nod off throughout the day.- I longed to just sit in a chair
• You fall asleep within five minutes of laying your head on the pillow. but often wake in the night and am awake for long periods of time. – I wake very early, say 3 o’clock a.m., and never make it back to sleep before my 5 o’clock a.m. wake up call. 
• You get overwhelmed easily: “I was overwhelmed with the ticking clock"
• You fall off the curb, spill things, and fall up the stairs. -- my hip slip and falling 3x
• You drool on your lunch and eat it anyway.---  I did not really eat anything; I was on a tailwind and Beer diet
• Less sleep can inhibit your body’s ability to sweat. This can keep you from cooling down adequately.---  Thank god it was cold; I was dry the last 2 laps.
• Athletes who had DSD report reaching a point of exhaustion 11% more quickly than those who were well rested. DSD makes workouts feel harder than they would if you had adequate sleep. --- This is why I was pushing it hard only to reach 17/mm pace

http://www.thestreakingrunner.com/effects-of-sleep-deprivation-on-running
https://sites.google.com/site/stonecattrailraces/   -StoneCat's official site