I’ve been running marathons since 2003 & in over 60 marathons, I’ve never missed a race for any reason…until now.
Bad rain in Raleigh. Missed the connection by 10 minutes. Next available flight to SEA? Arrived 20 minutes after Beat the Blerch race start.
Please spare me the “you have to make more room in your itinerary for these things” lecture.
What happens when you miss a flight?
I have four kids and an insanely busy schedule, so there isn’t a way to reverse taper & make up this race in any of the four states I’m missing in my effort toward 50.
While I did end up running 26.2 miles during my layover in Chicago (I put 12 weeks of focus training into it- no way I WASN’T running), I ended up signing up for the Weymouth Woods 50K just to get the race out of my system.
The Ultramarathon Scene
I’ve done this course before, though double the distance. Still, it’s not necessarily a fun or forgiving ride.
The single track terrain is constantly rolling and there are a lot of rocks and roots along the sandy path. Southern Pines is about 45 minutes from my house, so it makes events at Weymouth Woods more realistic for my family. See also: Mom guilt.
I have always loved the Ultramarathon scene, though. It’s the people. Ultra runners are a different breed. They aren’t out there for time; rather, they want to connect with nature and challenge themselves. It’s much less stressful than a road race and I find myself being pulled toward these longer trail efforts the older I get.
Count Laps, Not Miles
A 50K is just over 31 miles. On the Weymouth Woods 50K course, that’s 4 laps. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you have a vague interest in running so here’s my big piece of advice: count laps, not miles.
It’s true in running, entrepreneurial efforts like ZYIA Active, starting a podcast and motherhood: break down large goals into manageable pieces
31 miles? No way, man. 4 laps? That, I can wrap my head around.
Surprise ending
I had no idea I was in the lead the entire race. When I saw women in front of me, I assumed they were ahead. No problem, right?
…they were in the 25K. I won the race, coming in first female and solidifying a course record in 5:32:35. In fact, I was 4th overall behind the top 3 men. It was a surprise ending and a “lemonade from lemons” story if I’ve ever had one!
What ZYIA Active did you wear?
For this race, I wore the mesh tank (for a single lap), mesh energy shorts (better than Lululemon Speeds in my opinion), and an All Star bra. This is the 5th time I’ve worn this style bra in a marathon or ultramarathon effort and had no chafing (with zero body glide!).
What’s next on your race calendar?
Though I still have 4 more states (including Washington) until my 50 states + DC effort is finished, I’m planning to do another ultra locally this winter. For this season of life it simply makes more sense and the longer effort are more fun for me personally. I’d have missed out on that realization had I made my flight to Washington!
To God be the glory! 1 Timothy 4:8
