Great weather conditions to run in, with temperatures in the high 40s and some drizzly rain off and on throughout.
I went out fairly conservatively, hitting the halfway mark and flipping around at 1hr 44min and change, marathon in 2:50:08 (moving time)
This was only my third time ever running an ultra distance; so unsurprisingly I made fueling mistakes yet again...
Severely under-fueled. Gels at the start, 40min, 80min, 2h20 & that’s it. That cost me because my hamstrings locked up off & on during the final 8 miles, culminating in both legs fully seizing up just 300m from the finish 😭. Also carried about 2L of water mixed with Maurten & Tailwind in a 3L U.S. Army-issued CamelBak.
Mile 7: quick bathroom stop & slip/fall in mud Halfway: retied my shoes
Mile 24: Right hamstring begins to lock up as I tried to increase turnover & pace
Final 6K was so miserable. Several instances where I had to stop and stretch out my cramping legs.
My goal time was out the window and I was just trying to shuffle along as best I could.
Intestines also had me questioning throughout.
Moving time: ~3:32:08, elapsed time: 3:39:18.
Overall a comfortably uncomfortable effort until it wasn’t.
Post 60hr work week, and still being new to the ultra scene, I suppose I should be fairly satisfied.
I am proud that I finished and set the FKT in memory of my late father whose birthday is 12/23. Last year I completed the C2C Trail in his memory. 60miles for what would've been his 60th birthday. These ultra-distance efforts seem to help me process the grief.
Anyway that's enough. Cheers if you read this far. See y'all on the trails and roads, but mostly roads for now!