More Than Words - Extreme

To say, "I don't know where to start." Would be the most understated thing I've probably ever said.

But . . . I don't know where to start.  So let's start with a few photos from Race Packet Pick up.  Was very hard to find.  In the middle of a dirt field.  However, if you were coming from the other direction - it was well marked.

Like this:

Follow the pink Barbie strings, right?!  Awwww, they shouldn't have.

Found the table to pay / pick up.  "You here for the 12?" [nope]  "The 25?" [nope - the 50] "Ohhhhh, okay.  You're only number 27, so far."

[ummmm, yay me?!]

The shirt:

This is all I will say about this experience, for now.  Off to dinner.  Pasta time.  Yum.

I will be doing my RR in songs, for the most part.  Feel free to click on the song name but be sure to come back!

While sitting at dinner, I just kept thinking, "I want to take forever tonight".  Tomorrow was coming a little too quickly.

Then, I kept thinking about how badly I wanted more of my loved ones here with me.  My Mom kept saying I "Wanna Be There" but I just didn't feel this was a great event for spectators.

Enter 4:45 am.

Bring on the horses.

Found "A".  Got our pre-race photo.

Right after this photo was taken [about 45 seconds].  I [no joke] had a horse charge at me, turn his butt to me and then I hear the lady [rider] say "Run away!  Run away!".  The Pita & I didn't think this was a great way to start the morning.  Have I mentioned, I hate horses.  Wait, more like I'm afraid of horses.  This was no bueno.  Face your fears, right?!  I'd just rather do this face to face.  Not butt to face.

Let it rock.

Then I thought of this song, "Ship of Fools".  have no idea why.

Now the first few miles is in a wash.  Lots [lots] of dirt, pebbles, sand & holes.  Ahhhh, so THIS is why people were wearing "gators".  Uggg.

At mile 5 The Pita was there.  "You good?"  I AM, I SAID.  First aid station - YAY!
The pace was good. 

Knowing there were 45 more just like it [actually much, much harder]. 9:30-9:45 pace.

Miles 5-13 ..... Seemed pretty non-eventful.  Was feeling the elevation a bit.

When my Garmin hit 13.  Immediately, I was, "Lost in Emotion".  Thinking really?  Really, I'm only a half marathon into this.  I knew this thought needed to be a fleeting one.  I hear Andrew typing, "SUPERWOMAN".  I remember what I told Adrienne, "I am strong."  I remember what I told KP to do, "say I've got this!".  And by 13.25.  I had wrapped my brain around this thought:

Emz - you are going to be out here all day.  You will not stop.  You want the buckle.  Buck up.  You are strong.  Enjoy the view.  You can do this.

At this point, I am running by or near by "A".  I really felt, I needed someone to pace me.  On the {rare} flat portions, I had a hard time staying steady.  My legs were strong.  I wanted to run faster.  But I knew that'd be stupid.

At 16, "Top Back" came on and motivated me at a perfect time.  I could feel a blister coming about on the top of my right foot.  I put it off [looking] until 20.

The Pita wasn't there, as we had planned.  These roads were few and far between.  I completely understood but was silently sad.  The thought crept in, "Em you're not even half way" - shot that down ASAP.  I'm at 20 and I feel really good.  Yep, that feels WAY better.

At 20, Had a PB&J with added salt.  Some M&M's and checked the foot.  Ehhh, was ok.  Not great but ok.  Put an ENGO pad on.  [You must buy these if you get blisters.]  AMAZING. 

The people at the aid station didn't like the way my feet I looked.

"You ok?"
Me:  yep. 
"Are you going to stay with her [they asked "A"]?"
[uhhh, hello, I'm right here?!]
A:  ya.

So I figured, now was the time to put on my "Boogie Shoes" and GIT ER DONE.
"A" stopped to fuel at 22.  I kept rolling thinking he'd catch me.

Then at 24 I hear, "Once Clear Voice".  Hey Em!  [YAY ME!]  The Pita.  Another peanut butter sandwich and 1/3 cup pickle juice.  Awesome.  I'm feeling great.  I was so grateful I had, "Someone to watch over me".  Our car was stocked.  And we had ICE.

It was perfectly fine that I had been told, "you smell like *&#%@#."  Yay, then I'm doing something right.  I was a, "Dirty White Boy Girl". 

So, for two miles [that felt like 6] I ran s-o-l-o.

Then, I met up with Shawna at 26.  Game change.  Game on.  iPod off for remainder of run. 

And just in time.

We had 2,450' to climb in the next 2.75 miles with a "View to a Kill" .  Oh, did I mention it was hot?  87 degrees. We talked about everything. Work, religion, marriage, running, food, TMI's [she had some good ones], kids, after race plans . . . where we were going to meet up next for my "next one". Sorry, Mom.



Let's do this.  "Run to the Sun".  My new favorite song.

Okay, this portion was way harder than I had imagined.  Ran maybe a half mile of the 2.75 mile portion.

The Pita saw us coming.

I heard him.  I heard Shawna.  Did I mention she's done this 3 times before?!  "Em, we get outta here and the worst is behind us."  I liked that.

Then with "Every beat of my heart" - I knew we were getting closer to putting this beast behind us.

And we're out!

 Time for new socks.

It felt like I had had a 10 minute shower.  New socks.  Made.  Me. Happy.  More ice.  Another PB&J, more pickle juice, M&M's & a protein bar and . . . 18 miles more to go.  wow.

33 - slam.  Where are my legs!?  33.5 - anyone seen my legs?  Shawna assures me they'll be in my drop bag at 38.  yikes.  "Don't give up".  As if, I would.

Then at 35 "Empire" [sorta hit me like a ton of bricks].  Downhill.  WHAT?!  Rocky downhill. no.  Please no.  There is an art to running downhill.  And running downhill with huge and small rocks?!?! . . . . . I suck at it.  Meanwhile, Shawna is "rocking" it.  She's passing horses.  The rider asks me, "you want to pass?". 

Me:  no actually I'm pretty content staring at your horse's a*s butt.

36 - out of the rocks.

Legs, still MIA.

We see an aid station?!  The Pita?!  What?! 

Me: I thought the station was at 38?

S:  Emily, this IS 38.

Me:  my watch says 36

S: you are the only one using a watch & guess what?  It's wrong.  Welcome to 38.

"There Must Be An angel".

 Legs.  back.

It was more like heaven.  pickle juice, Gu chomps, powerade, 4 nuun tablets.

Shawna starts talking about her first time finishing a 50 - I have to make her stop. I'm crying and I can't breathe.  Let's talk about this at 48-49.  Agreed.

39 - the only pee stop for me.  The hard part was getting the quads to "Get up".

40 - check point.  Yell out to staff . . . .  "#161 & # 162"  Woot woot.  We are here!!  He looks at us like we are nuts.  We are.  Only 10 left.  I'm already going "there" - - I've freaking got this.  I feel like a "4 out of 5".  This rocks.

Wait.  We are cranking these miles out.  Pace picking up.

The Pita at 43!

 And we even had some clouds at 43!??

Oh happy day!

Check point at 47 - sailed through.  We call out, "number 161 - number 162 we'll pass on the water.  But thanks for being here!!" Awesome.  My feet hurt like crazy.

Do I care?  Nope.

Mile 48 - 9:59

Mile 49 - 9:40 - - we can see the trailers.  I'm crying.  Shawna's telling me, "You are killing this.  Let's push a little harder."

I
Love
Her.

I'll do whatever she says.  "Let's do it." [my reply]

Finish line.  Insight.

Here come my stupid arms again. [not sure why, I feel the need to do this.]

Here come the tears. [again].

The best.  Ever.

Got Er Done.

So.

Who's doing it with me next year?!

Oh, almost forgot . . . . The text that made me happy, happy, happy was this one from "A" yesterday . . . 

"I should have asked YOU for advice, ya big jerk! I thought you could "maybe" finish. Most first timers can't handle all the climbing and just snap. You totally crushed it! I saw some really good runners quit/die out there yesterday. Nicely done Emily!".

Day. Made.