About six months ago--way before the moving tornado blasted through town--my coach from last year, Abby, told me she was running the Leadville 100 this summer. After I questioned her sanity, I offered to help if she needed it. I'll never do anything with the word "ultra" in front of it, but I'm beyond intrigued about the people who choose to push their bodies past where 99.9% of the population won't--and the effect doing so has on the human body. (Proof? I crewed for a random cyclist doing Race Across America, just 10 days after marrying Grant.)
She'd been training like a demon, and I'd just been whirling like a demon and had pretty much forgotten about it. Until I got an e-mail from her about two weeks ago, asking if I was still interested. Although I wanted to hit respond and type, "YES!", I'm not the fit athlete she coached last summer. So I sent back a wishy-washy response. Something along the lines of: "I just ran 6 miles at a 9:00 pace, the longest I've gone in months, and it was hard. But if you still want me, I can ask Grant if it's cool with him."
Believe it or not, she still wants me. So I'm going to join her in her amazing journey, somewhere around 11 p.m. on Saturday night. She'll be around 70 miles into her race by then, and I'm going to run/walk/hike/lope with her from Tree Line to May Queen, when she hits mile 86 or so. She describes this part of the course as a, "predominantly paved section with a nice gradual downhill." In other words, I think she gave me the easiest part of the course, for which I am grateful. My orders from her are to, "encourage me to run as much of this section as I can (10-12 minute miles), and when I can't run, your long stride will push me to walk quickly."
Check on the 10 minute miles, check on the long stride, check on the encouragement. These might just be the best--and definitely most interesting--14 miles of my life. I can't wait.
Monday, July 13, 2009
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8 comments:
Awesome! You are a stud for doing that. And very loyal. Your friend is lucky! Enjoy-what an event!
Very cool. I can't wait to hear all about it!
That's cool.
I've done something like that before. I think the hardest part is to keep being ridiculously upbeat the whole time.
How wonderful! Harsha will be pacing one of his buddies too, so maybe you'll see each other. The ladies and I have been throwing around the idea of running the Leadville Marathon next year.... maybe if you like it up there, we can get you to do it with us! It would be a blast :-)
What an awesome responsiblity - I have always wanted to participate in something like that, but none of my running friends are crazy enough! Ha!
Can't wait to hear all about it, you both, I am sure, are going to do great! :)
THAT is wicked cool. You know that YOU do things yourself that a high percentage of population wouldn't do either. It's all about perspective.
Can't wait to hear the nitty gritty details ... see pictures and hear the elation in your voice when you tell us all how really amazingly awesome it all was!
I am sure you will do a great job of pacing.
Pacers are really critical in endurance events and pretty much the most important task is to stay optimistic for your runner and keep them going. Different runners have different preferences (I like kind/gentle prodding, but I hear there are people out there who want to get yelled at...if I was yelled at I would burst into tears and quit:-)
You will do fine in your pacing and I think you are right that she gave you an "easier" section, but 16 miles at altitude is 16 miles!
Good Luck,
Tammy
Hi, It is amazing work. Wanted to interact with you, and other marathon moms about doing the Thar Desert Ultra in December 2009 from the 24th-30th, in India. Wasn't sure how to send you an email, as none was listed on your blog. Would love to interact with you about the same, and you can write to me at kavitha@globeracers.com, and know your interest.
Happy running, and cycling, and swimming :)
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