Well... a year has passed and now it is time for the Ghost Train. It is quite cold on Saturday morning, a cool 26 degrees. As the morning rolls out it gradually warms. I start strong despite concerns
about my sore knee and run the 1st lap quicker than planned in 3:07:00. I slow down a
bit in lap 2… struggle with some nausea, but manage it with Pepto-Bismal
tablets which is very encouraging. However, while descending a technical stretch at mile 21 my left
foot lands and skids forward on loose pine needles and slams into a protruding rock. I’m in comfortable, lightweight road
shoes (no protection) and crunch my toes… very painful. I walk for a while until the initial pain subsides a bit. Slowing, I finish lap 2 in 7:08:00. I had visualized this race in four hour blocks... 15 miles to each block, that would deliver me to 90 miles in 24 hours if things went well. At this point my knee was hurting, now I have a toe issue... but I'm ahead of schedule. I stop at my support tent, see Kristine, Shelby and Oriel which lifts my spirits. I change shoes (planned) and reveal
a blood soaked sock. I don’t dare look and leave the sock on. I'm in heavier more padded shoes and also tights and a fleece (nightfall is coming). Oriel joins and paces me... it is dark when we arrive in Milford. We return with headlamps, the many jack-o-lanterns along the course are lit... very cool. Lots of walking
on lap 3 (slower) and the pain continues to increase in the knee and toes.
Although I hate to do it, I call it after 3 laps. I probably could have finished 4 laps, but I chose to stop at 3 so as not
to wreck my knee… the pain is pretty intense. I have learned the hard way in the past that if you push an injury too hard you can easily end up not being able to run for weeks to months afterwards... it's just not worth it. Interestingly the knee pain
masks the toe pain... I didn't think the toe was all that bad. When I get home I discover my middle toe is completely
smashed, totally purple even after the blood is washed off, and the nail has lifted and is milky white… the toe is
obviously broken. I finish 45 miles, a lot less than planned in 11:50:00. The race in some ways is a disappointment, but I did successfully manage
a few bouts of nausea, my old nemesis, I ate and hydrated well. I am learning
with each new race… and in this sport there is much to learn, far more than I ever imagined. Although I didn't run 60 miles in this race as planned, I did do it back in July. In my first year
of ultramarathoning I have run three races… 30, 61 and 45 miles. Not as much as I had hoped, but not too bad for
an old guy! I took Sunday off, but walked several miles with Bobafett yesterday. The training has begun for next year!
11/01: The official results are now in... each complete 15 mile lap over 30 miles
is listed as a separate race on UltraSignup. So... in the 45 mile race
there were 38 finishers, I was 25/38. There were only 2 of us in the
60-69 age group and I was first. Go figure... probably should break my
toe more often... not! Make no mistake, I have no illusions about this,
it's always fun to win but the field was not exactly deep. Nonetheless
I'll take it. Now I go back to work... the real goal is a 100 miles in
24 hours, I'm a long way from there.
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