Back from the Trenches: SD50 Adventures & Lessons Learned
Hey guys! We're back from San Diego, and what an incredible adventure it was! ☀️ Sitting here at my desk on this Monday morning, after running 50 miles on the beautiful singletrack trails of San Diego, I can't help but smile. What a weekend! So many lessons learned and smiles shared. 💙
Vinny absolutely crushed the half marathon, placing 4th overall and 1st in his age group. 🥇 Huge congrats to him! My own 50-mile journey was a rollercoaster of emotions, with some incredible highs and some humbling lows. 🎢 That's to be expected during a grueling ultramarathon like the SD50, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have experienced all of it.
Here's a brief race recap. Race morning, I fueled up with a light breakfast and a dose of Maurten's Sodium Bicarbonate. Then, we took off to check in and pick up our race bibs. It was pitch black and an icy 35 degrees. 🥶 The race director recommended foregoing a head lamp since the sun would rise shortly after the start, so I took his advice and ran under the light of the moon and the other runners' lamps. ✨ I started out feeling strong, holding a consistent pace and enjoying the beautiful scenery. 🌳 Then, the stomach troubles began. 😣 A quick pit stop at mile 10 provided some relief, but the GI distress continued to linger. I slowed down, embraced the walk breaks, and tried to stay positive.
Around mile 30, I hit a wall. 💥 My stomach was cramping, and I was feeling pretty miserable. I desperately needed to find a bathroom, but they were few and far between on the course. 🙈 I had to resort to "nature's call," and unfortunately, I had completely forgotten to pack my disposable runner toilet paper in my hydration vest. 😱 Not my finest moment!
Looking back, I suspect the sodium bicarbonate might have contributed to my GI issues. 🧂 It's a popular performance enhancer among endurance athletes, believed to help improve performance by buffering lactic acid and increasing blood flow. However, I likely took too high a dose. I also learned that my increased carb intake might have been too much for my system.
The last half of the race was a true test of will. 😤 I never intended to quit, but boy was I suffering. I committed to slowing down as much as I needed to in order to finish the race. I still had a shot at beating my last year's time, and that fire within me kept me going. I tuned in to David Goggins' audiobook, "Can't Hurt Me," which always provides the necessary mental fortitude. 💪🏼
I put my head down and put one foot in front of the other, walking and running, eating my gels at a slower rate than the first half and having a hard time keeping them down. I ran out of Maurtens at one point and was forced to eat a GU gel, which I immediately vomited back up. 🤢 I hate those things, so thick and hard to swallow.
You go through some serious challenges on the ultra circuit. You have to be willing to endure a lot of pain, suffering, and discomfort, but if you're mentally strong enough you can always endure more. The aid stations were key in getting me through, the volunteers so helpful and always full of smiles and encouraging words.
Another high point in the race was mile 43 when Vinny came in to pace me to the finish. He chatted from mile 43-50, told me stories of his adventures running the half marathon, the people he met and the fun he had hooting and hollering with some young Navy kids while racing down steep mountain descents. He told me he placed 4th overall and it brought tears to my eyes because I know how hard he must have worked on those rocky hills to maintain such a speedy pace. I was so proud of him.
The last 2 miles seemed like 10, and I was daydreaming about Beyond Burgers and the hot tub at our ranch canyon resort. 🤤 I could not wait to be done as everything hurt, and my breathing became very labored at that point. Finally, the finish line was in sight and Vinny said he would run ahead to take a video of me coming in. He must have thought he had more time, but I sped up and crossed that finish line with a sense of pride and joy, knowing that I left it all out there that day. 🏁
Did I run the time that I wanted? No. But that's okay. This race wasn't just about the time; it was about pushing my limits, discovering new depths of resilience, and experiencing the incredible journey of pushing myself beyond what I thought was possible. I had an opportunity in front of me – a chance to test my limits, to embrace the unknown, and to see what I was truly capable of. I seized the moment, and I went for it.
I know that facing such intense physical and mental challenges makes me stronger, both as an athlete and as a person.
Although I couldn't keep up the 10-minute pace for the second half, and I slowed down a lot more than I wanted to, I overcame serious pain thresholds and discomfort that I didn't even know I possessed.
I'm incredibly proud of myself for having the resilience to keep going for more than 8 hours of agony. This is a race that I'll never forget, a reminder of my own strength and determination.
The lessons learned?
Practice your fueling strategy relentlessly! ⚡️
Be very, very careful with sodium bicarbonate. ⚠️
But most importantly, remember that the journey is as important as the destination. Celebrate the victories, learn from the setbacks, and keep pushing forward.
This race was a powerful reminder of my own capacity for growth and the incredible human spirit. ✨
Official Race Results:
https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/116123/IndividualResult/zRbS#U80967393
