Date: Sun Aug 9, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 1
Hey everyone!
Well, stage 1 is now done -- seven more to go.
It was hot and humid this morning, as promised, and when we got to the
start, there was a kind of a liquid haze hanging on the horizon.
The sun was not visible, but there was a brightening in the cloud cover
where it ought to be. Thank goodness for the slight breeze.
This morning's 21.1 km was quite hilly, partly along roads, partly
along bike paths. Very pretty, and the bike path part followed
the Conestogo River. Along with the 23 ultimate participants,
there were 15 guest runners, and 4 relay teams. The start was as
simple as the race director lining us all up, and saying, "Ready, set,
go!" And off we went.
A bit about some of the participants: Some of them are really
serious runners. And I mean, REALLY serious. There were
many who finished in under 90 minutes. I think the fastest person
on the course did the half in 1 hour and 19 minutes or something insane
like that.
We have two sets of identical twins running as well. The girls
are Melanie and April, and they are sponsored by Saucony. They do
everything together. They even dress the same, which makes it
hard to tell them apart, although there are slight visible
difference. The boy twins are Savas and Costas, and they are also
identical, although once again, there are slight differences, if you
know how to spot them. I think they are "recreational" runners,
although they are also very fast, having come in around the 1:35 mark.
So when the race started, everyone took off, and I was left in the dust
- literally! After one kilometre, I could barely see the next
slowest person. I suppose it speaks to my personal growth that it
didn't bother me to be last. I was determined to start
conservatively and run my own race -- after all, this is only the first
21.1 of 160 K!
But in the end, I passed 3 men and 4 women, so I felt pretty
good. My pacing was extremely consistent throughout, and nothing
hurts.
The post race spread was awesome, with beef, chicken and veggie
burgers, as well as salads, wraps, brownies, juice, coffee, tea, fruit,
twizzlers and several blenders to make smoothies. Yes, Trina, I
ate.
Now I am going to read a bit and have a nap. Maybe later I will
watch a motivational movie amongst those I brought with me.
Hmmmm, let's see… A Few Good Men? Full Metal Jacket?
GI Jane? Or should I go for the softer side, and watch Emma or
Casablanca?
Lots of love to all, and thanks for your support.
Mau
Date: Mon Aug 10, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 2
After freakish
thunderstorms on and off all day yesterday, it again dawned hazy, hot
and humid, though not as oppressive as the day before.
This
morning was a 15 km time trial. The athletes were ordered in
reverse of their finishing times from the first day, which means the
slowest starts ahead of the second slowest, and the fastest is at the
end. We started at one minute intervals.
Mau
awaiting her time trial start
The 15 K
was a big loop, but there was a 5K portion on trails through a
wooded area next to a river - that part was out and back. And
gorgeous. So we got to see each other during the race, which is
always fun. There was a pretty long hill in the second kilometer,
but the rest of the course was largely flat. I was pretty happy
with how I felt during the race, except that at about 8K, I had to find
a place to pee. That slowed me down by a couple of minutes, but
when nature calls, it's best to answer!
There was
another feast at the finish line - today's theme I think was
burritos. Then I took a little swim in the splash pool, which
someone had filled up with cold water and large ice blocks.
Apparently, taking an ice bath for 10 minutes aids with recovery, so in
I went. It was so cold, that my legs went numb, but sure enough,
I am feeling pretty good this afternoon.
After
everyone had eaten and we had the post race debrief, we were invited to
"Grandpa"'s house for a swim. Grandpa is the race director's
father-in-law, and he has a home in Cambridge (which is where this
stage was) with a sunken swimming pool in his backyard. It was
quite lovely, and lots of the racers brought their families. So
we spent a couple of hours in and out of the swimming pool, snacking,
chatting, and drinking beer. The boys I am rooming with are
planning to organize a "beer mile" run this fall, and I think I might
go to it. It consists of drinking a beer (and there are rules on
alcohol content -- no Coors lite allowed!), then running a lap around a
track as fast as you can. Then you repeat the process until you
have drunk 4 beers and run 4 laps -- a mile. If you puke, you
have to drink and run a penalty lap.
It is
otherwise known as "run and retch", "sprint and spew" and various other
colourful titles.
Jo?
Scott? What do you guys think? Wanna come run the beer
miler?
Date: Tue Aug 11, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 3
Despite dire
predictions of continuing humidity and risk of thunderstorms, this
morning was not too bad. It was hot-ish and humid-ish, but
nothing like the two previous days.
30K, 6
loops of a 5K course. It started with a run around a parking
lot. Then into a pasture and up a hill, which was medium sized on
the first loop, but had somehow morphed into a monstrous mountain by
the 6th loop… Then into another pasture, and around a
field. Then down a little hill, then up another medium-to-big
sized hill. Then across another pasture, down another hill and
then up a BIG FREAKING MOTHER of a hill. By the sixth loop, we're
talking Mt Everest here.
Mau
tackling another hill. It's amazing that she's still smiling!
So that
was the first two and a half K. The next 2K were through a
gorgeous wooded area, surrounded by trees and a stream on the left for
part of the course. It was pretty twisty and turny, with a lot of
little ups and downs, but the shade and a slight breeze made it quite
restorative. By the sixth loop, I was pretty sure I had seen God.
One of the
boy twins had counted the hills in this stage, and his total was
40. That might not seem like a lot. Until you have to run
them.
The last K was,
yes, you guessed it, up another medium-to-big sized hill, back into the
woods, out of the woods and up ANOTHER hill to the 5K mark.
All to be
repeated 5 times more.
The first 3 laps
went fairly well for me. The fourth lap was a struggle, and the
last two laps HURT. But I managed to get myself through it by
singing the entirety of Mozart's Requiem in my head over and over again
(although I had a moment or two of frustration the first time through,
when I couldn't remember which movement followed the Lacrymosa).
But I
finished within 3 minutes of my goal, and yes, Trina, finally got a
massage today. The twin girls, who look and run just like
gazelles, are also very sweet and thoughtful, and when they finished
their run, more than an hour ahead of me, they went and signed me up
for a massage, just to make sure I got one. How lovely is that???
So, I have
made it through stage 3.
To quote my good
friend and running partner, Joanne, "see the hill. Take the hill."
Now, off I go to
my ice bath and nap. And beer.
Date: Thurs Aug 13, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 4
Well, I am over
the hump.
Last night's
stage was a 10 miler with nary a flat patch to be found. If you
look on the website and follow the links, you'll see an elevation
map. Up and down, up and down, up and down…. Stages 4 and 5
(which is tomorrow morning) combine for the "mountain king"
award. The person with the fastest time for these two stages wins.
Yeah,
more hills! Nice jersey, Mau!
It won't
be me. But I sure am glad I did the wine county half this summer,
which was 4 trips up and back down the Niagara escarpment. Good
training.
To add
insult to injury, last night's stage ends with an 800 metre hill to the
finish. If anyone of you has seen those motivational
posters, there's one of a lone runner at the bottom of a very, very big
hill, with the sun setting in the background. That was our finish
line last night.
Having
said that, I had fun, we had a rest day today, so I got a massage, and
tomorrow will be raring to go for the 25K mountain stage.
Hugs and
kisses, all.
Date: Fri Aug 14, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 5
Whew! I
survived the toughest stage of this race, and by far the hardest course
I have ever seen or experienced. Niagara -- pah! Hog's
hollow -- heh! Victoria Park -- sheh! Pottery Hill -- gah!
Stage 5
was at Chicopee, which is a ski hill. A downhill ski hill.
But as most of you have likely guessed, in order to go down the hill,
one must first go up. So I embraced my inner mountain goat, and
up I went.
20 times.
The course was 5
loops of a 5.12 km course, each loop of which ascended the hill 4
times. In other words, 20 hills over 25.6 km. A study of
the elevation map reveals changes of about 60 metres over about 300
metres. May not sound like much, but by the time I got through
the first loop, my quads were feeling the burn. The descents were
less direct, in other words, we didn't go screaming directly back down
the hill. Instead, there were numerous switch backs, taking us in
meandering serpentine paths back to the bottom.
The day
had dawned cool and clear, but the sun quickly heated things up, so
that by the time I was on the third loop, it was very hot.
There were no clouds, and there was no breeze. But thankfully,
there were LOTS of water stops with cheerful and encouraging volunteers
offering water, Gatorade and smiles.
Unfortunately,
one of our group didn't make it to the end -- he injured his knee and
had to withdraw. There was another injury, but minor enough that
the competitor could continue on. Of the 23 ultimate
participants, 8 or 9 had falls along the course, during the steep and
treacherous downhill portions. Only one brave soul managed to get
through the entire course without walking up any hills. That was
Bob. Bob is a god. He is the leader. I wonder what
his resting heartrate is???
Oh, and it
will no doubt amuse some of you who know me well (Scott), that I got
lost during the first loop. Took a wrong turn at the base of the
hill and ended up going right back up when I was supposed to go
around. The one person out there who is slower than I am had the
misfortune of following me, so the two of us did about 27 km instead of
25.6. When I realized my mistake, I was pretty crushed. Of
course, by the second time around I clearly saw the obvious trail
markings, but I was distracted by the discomfort, I guess, and didn't
look where I was going. Good thing I wasn't operating heavy
machinery!
There were
sign markings everywhere: yellow signs in the shape of arrows
pointing in the direction of the race, with black lettering commanding
us to RUN. By the halfway mark, I was beginning to see those
signs as an accusation -- at that point, I had been relegated to
walking most of the hills. Guh.
On the
final lap, I got to the big, monster, mother-f(*^g, c*&%-s(*^g
vertical ascent to the top, and one of the fast guys who had long ago
finished, walked up it again to keep me company -- so sweet and
thoughtful, considering his legs couldn't have felt any better than
mine!
The one
guy that is slower than I am was on the brink of giving it up, but a
herd of volunteers decided to encourage him all the way through the
final loop -- they spontaneously ran the last 5 km with him -- that's
the kind of support that there is at this race. It's like nothing
I've ever seen before, and it's the reason why I run.
The finish
was sweet. We ate, discussed the course, reviewed our various
aches and pains, and then I came back to the residence. I have
just gotten out of my ice bath, where I sat for 10 minutes, watching
bits of ice float around my legs. Don't knock it until you've
tried it -- it really works to speed recovery!!
Only 2
stages to go, and hopefully I will then be able to claim ownership of
the race's motto: 8 days, 7 stages, 160 km, 1 tough runner.
Hugs and
kisses to all!
Mau
Date: Sat Aug 15, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 6
The penultimate stage.
What!???
ONLY 10K??
I suppose that in
comparison to the half marathon, the 10 mile hill run, and the 30 K and
25.6 K trail runs, a 10 K would seem quite modest. But a wise man
once told me, no matter how far you are running, you must respect the
distance (thanks, Glenn). A 10 K run can be torture if you set
out too fast, run in very hot weather, or have already run over 100 K
in the previous week.
All of
which were the case for me today.
Nevertheless,
I got through it and have only one stage left to complete before being
able to call myself "one tough runner."
Today's
race was on pavement, relatively flat, on country roads. It was
conducted in a time trial fashion, with the slowest runners thus far
starting out at the beginning, and the fast ones at the end, starting
at one minute intervals. In addition to the 23 (now down to 22)
ultimate runners, we had something like 40 guest runners today - our
biggest crowd so far. The guests were fit into the time trials
based on their expected finish times.
I was near
the beginning, starting 8th, I think. The first kilometre hurt
quite a bit, as my muscles complained about the abuse of the last week,
but then they settled down and sucked it up, knowing they weren't going
to be allowed to quit.
I guess I
was a little excited about this being near the end of the race, because
I took off from the start line and finished the first kilometre in just
over 5 minutes, which is WAAAYYYYYYY too fast for me! So I slowed
down, had to really, and slogged for the next K. Then my body
started to warm up and feel the groove. I went really well until
I hit the 7K marker, and then my body was just out of juice.
Thankfully, there was a water stop about then, so I had a few seconds
to refresh and recharge. The last 3 K hurt, too, but I got
through it by counting every footstrike -- yep, that bad.
My last K
was my fastest, and I finished with a PB of 55 minutes. Couldn't
believe it after all the accumulated fatigue! But I figured I
could take the marathon easy tomorrow, and I wanted at least one stage
of this race to be a real effort in achieving a new level of personal
development. After all, I'm not fast enough to contend with the
top runners, so it was all a matter of competition with myself. I
was very happy when I crossed the finish line.
Incidentally,
I passed every runner who started before me, and no one passed me,
which means I crossed the finish line first -- that's NEVER happened to
me in running before! It's pretty humbling.
So as a
way of giving back to the race, I went out a couple of hundred metres
and cheered the rest of the runners on to the finish.
6 stages done,
one left!
Date: Tue Aug 18, 2009
Subject: The ENDURrun -
Stage 7 and epilogue
Well, it's done. I am officially "one tough runner".
On Sunday
morning, the weather started off humid, but cool with a breeze.
The cool part disappeared pretty quickly as we ran kilometre after
grueling kilometre. My dear friend and running buddy Joanne had
driven to Waterloo the day before to run the marathon with me.
Unbelievably,
my legs felt pretty fresh. I guess I must have gotten fitter over
the week of running -- a bit tired, but nothing hurt.
Mau
& Jo side-by-side
The first
21.1 K went pretty well, Jo and I both came in pretty close to our
target pace, but the second half started out much slower. The
heat was getting oppressive. We stopped at every water station
and loaded up on Gatorade, water and whatever they had to eat.
Some thoughtful planner made sure there were sponges at every station,
too. And as through the entire race, the volunteers were amazing.
We got
through it, with everyone who had finished cheering us across the
finish line. For every runner who finished the ultimate event
(that's all 7 stages), they held up the finish line tape for us to run
through. It was exhilarating, and gave us a fresh burst of energy
to run across. Jo was wonderful and we finished the race together.
After
160K in 8 days, Mau crosses the finish line!
The ENDURrun
was physically the most demanding race I have ever done. It was
also the most fun -- every single bit of it, from the vertical hills to
the ice baths afterwards!
I know
most of you will find this hard to believe, but I am SO TOTALLY doing
this again next year!
For all you who
are runners, you should seriously consider coming out for at least one
stage next year - you can do it as a guest runner.
Where else can you register for a race for 25$, get a technical shirt,
and the best post race food EVER? I mean, they had a menu for us
with a different theme every day, and on Sunday made sure we had our
personal favourites. If you're feeling really adventurous, try
the sport event, which is the last 3 days, or the whole thing.
Whatever
you end up doing, you will not regret it! This race was also the
best organized I have ever been part of. I am going to seriously
consider doing some other races that are organized by the same person,
Lloyd Schmidt. His whole family was involved with this race, from
his lovely wife Julie to his 6 (yes, 6) children who manned the water
stops and set up the food.
Thanks for
reading, everyone. You can see photos at www.runwaterloo.com
and click on The ENDURrun.
Hugs and kisses
to all!
Mau
Mau is
holding the "RUN" sign to the right. Yes, Mau, you are ONE TOUGH RUNNER!
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