Last year’s Bull Run Run 50 Miler was my first, so I was careful not to make the rookie mistake of starting out too fast. Nor did I finish too fast. In 2013 I just beat the twelve-hour mark on my first ultra, and given the weather and my utter lack of training in 2014 (one impromptu 18-mile jog in February snow), my realistic goal this year was to do no worse. My hopeful goal was to attend the 6 p.m. award ceremony, and my conservative goal was again to avoid a DNF. This despite the wisdom I had since encountered on the value of “achieving” a DNF in order to explore one’s limits.
I'd like to hear about the things you learned from the DNF experience. Great read, I just began training for a 1/2 marathon that is in October. I am starting from scratch as I gave up running for many months in lieu of tennis. I'm up to only 4 - 5 miles right now. I have a long ways to go. Feel like running in the Detroit Half Marathon this year? My goal is to finish without ever stopping/walking. Pretty straight forward goal.
For a half, in October, it's probably safe to rely on the aid stations for liquids. But it would be a great excuse for a slow time to say that you were held up in customs!the DNF experience
So far I have only achieved a DNF in training, and have not been bold enough to enter any event that was beyond my ability to finish. Getting ready for my first marathon, I followed the advice about increasing your maximum distance by no more than 10% at a time. I was on a lazy and safe once-a-week schedule, and finally hit the wall when I first attempted something around 20 miles. I was still far from home and had to hitch a ride for the first time in my life.Feel like running in the Detroit Half Marathon this year?
I couldn't get to the Istanbul Marathon, which is billed as the world's only intercontinental marathon. I saw that the Detroit Marathon is international and thought that would be a cool experience. I find the idea of carrying a passport for a race bewildering. I can't imagine running a marathon without carrying fluids, but according to the FAQ, "Bridge and Tunnel policy is to prohibit liquids. Runners are discouraged from carrying items on these portions of the course as they may be asked to either inspect or drop them."
The half that I'm running is the non international so I'm not likely to be stopped by customs. That said, I look very mid-eastern (though I'm a Germican) and I get stopped often at airports. I can't tell if this happens to everyone and is just confirmation bias but I feel people stop me due to profiling. The offer remains on the table to join us. I'll ensure you have a proper place to stay.
Bookmarked that Dude pdf for future use...that was incredible though, a very captivating read. That entire experience must have been worth every second. I'm impressed by and admire the dedication necessary to train and run something such as this. Congrats.
impressed by and admire the dedication
It's easy to say "aw, shucks" when in truth I am very lucky to have good health and a constitution that enables me to contemplate this kind of a challenge, even as a back-of-the-pack finisher. But after seeing the variety of body types that reach the finish, I have to think that there is a lot of truth to those crappy clichés along the lines of "If you put your mind to it..."
This was you!? Great job. Two thoughts I had while reading it. One, I stopped and re read and contemplated how discouraging "the middle fifth" of a 50 mile run sounds. This takes the malaise of not-even-being-halfway-done something to a whole new level. Two, I admire and think I can identify with you when you say the idea of quitting never seriously occurred to you. I feel that way about the program I'm in, where I'm a team leader to a group of ten, 18-24 year old, ungrateful, difficult, smelly, endearing boys and girls from all over the US. One of our instructors, an ultra marathon runner, said to me, Max, it ain't a sprint, but a marathon. Preach. Thanks previouslyO
I think I hit maximum malaise toward the end of a 10-mile race, which I ran at approximately the pace of the winner of the 50-miler. "It ain't a sprint, but a marathon" sounds like sage advice for many situations! Planning, determination, and a good attitude are often more important than raw effort.This was you!?
I share your incredulity. A few years ago doing something like this would have seemed as improbable as moving to Antarctica.the malaise of not-even-being-halfway-done
I've completed two marathons, and will have to do at least one more so I can beat Oprah. Both times I felt considerably worse after 26 miles than I do after the same distance of the 50. This is partly because I now find running on roads a bit dull compared to trails, but largely because of pacing. My faster marathon was at ten-and-a-half minutes per mile, while the 50 was at least five minutes slower per mile.
What impresses me most, besides the run itself, is that you remember so many details. Were you recording as you ran? My favourite line: "Absolutely no distraction from any thoughts of the outside world, just one single task upon which all attention is focused." It's worth doing for that reason alone.
The happiness experts say you should buy experiences and not material goods. I can't arrange to have experiences like this often, so in order to get my money's worth an important part of my task is to form memories of the day. It pains me to think how many of my days leave not the slightest trace in my memory, though I am thankful that at least I don't have many painful memories. A GPS record of my progress is helpful, and I also take down some notes at the end to help jog my memory when I eventually start putting together a report like this. The job is made easier by my hope of making it into a good story rather than an accurate one. "Just one single task" is almost a fantasy. Getting things done is satisfying, but to me it's an impossible challenge to be organized and motivated enough stay ahead of life's routine demands. Working on any one task necessarily means ignoring others. So on top of everything else one senses the additional duty to seek balance and peace. You can't win! Having just one goal for twelve hours straight feels amazingly simple and liberating.
I have considered taking photos or recording an E-Vox along the way, but it seems too much a distraction from the goal of conveying oneself from the start to the finish as expeditiously as possible. That long dialog was fairly approximate, meant mainly to illustrate the way that socializing can help break up the monotony of a fairly individualist activity. I did want to get my use of the line "Is it because of the metric system?" on the record, as dropping unappreciated "Pulp Fiction" quotes into conversation is a personal indulgence.
Key West in June would be ideal. Training in heat makes performing in temperate weather seem easy; it's the secret of the futbolistas who practice in the polluted atmosphere and high elevation of Mexico City, then when they play away games it's like they're breathing pure oxygen. The good news is that your training is already about 90% complete, now that you have adopted a positive attitude to the idea. If I have learned anything about endurance sports, and probably any kind of physical performance, it is that once you get beyond amateur level it becomes largely a mental game. Good knees are helpful too, so your cycling habit will be to your advantage.