Whistler 50 Recap

My official time for 50 miles is 7:17:25.

The first loop of 17km was in the dark and we all carried flashlights and wore headlamps. It was during this loop that I talked the very most to the other runners. We pretty much found a similar pace group and stuck together and got to know each other. My group took a wrong turn at the golf course and had to backtrack a bit but not by too much. My first loop was quite slow, slower than I had anticipated, but it worked out to be a very good thing. I sorta just let myself "sleep" through that first loop.

The second loop felt like a million bucks. The sun had risen and it was a gorgeous day. I had SO much energy during this loop but I really forced myself to hold back and stick with a runner I had found a groove with. He told me later though that he could tell that I was dying to take off. But again, holding back proved to help me in the end.

The third loop started to hurt a bit so I took a couple of Advil. I was still freezing cold (it was below freezing the whole day and my hair had frozen around my hairline) so I kept my jacket and gloves on. Near the end of the third loop I felt dizzy when I stopped at the last aid station so I really made an effort to keep eating food, taking gels, etc. and then I was fine.

When I saw Tracey and Melody at the exchange between the third and last loop they looked at me worriedly, asking me all sorts of questions and I just breezed in and out of there and took off again. When I started my fourth (final) loop, I shouted out a big "WHOOHOOOO!!" and then took off.

The course starts out by winding through and around Whistler village, around and about the golf course, through some trails and then up into a steep snowy patch for about 10k where the ground was covered in snow and ice and the air was significantly cooler. Then we'd come out and head down a patch of technical stuff, over a bridge to the last aid station before we run the final 3.5k to the finish. On my last loop, when I came to that final aid station I ran right through it and whooped and hollered and laughed and cheered. I was on FIRE for that last 3.5k and I kept passing people like nobody's business. I think I passed the fourth and third woman in there somewhere.

The last km is right through the village and I fought back tears the whole time. When I rounded the corner to the finishing shoot I got so emotional that my throat kinda closed a bit so I really fought it off, cleared my throat and dug deep.

I don't understand how I was able to run that distance in that time. I just shake my head in disbelief, and I am thankful! Thankful for a healthy body, for supportive friends and family, for the adversity that fueled a lot of my motivation to run long, for my buddies on Daily Mile who have encouraged me all along the way.

Not sure what's in store for me next. I feel pretty good, just a little stiff and sore...although the tops of my feet are inflamed and maybe even a little bruised, so I'm not sure what that's about. Putting ice on them, and anticipating a very good, long sleep tonight.