Salem Lakeshore Frosty 50K

<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Frosty 50K Salem Lake, Winston Salem, NC</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">OK, here is my first attempt at a race report following my first ultra. I apologize upfront for rambling but sitting in a USAIR club during a layover.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">I had planned on being better prepared, pretty sure I am not the first person to show up for a run with that in the back of their mind.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">I traveled back from New York arriving home in NC Friday night. Excuses were popping into my mind:</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">1) I hadn’t run over 20 in more than a month.</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">2) I had started low heart rate training and shouldn’t compromise it in a 50K.</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">3) I was tired, it was a long week at work.</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">4) It was 28 degrees at the start (Hey, I moved to NC for a reason!)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">5) I had to get up at 4:30 to make it over to Winston-Salem that morning to run.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">All that considered I knew missing this run was not the way I was going to start off 2008.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">So 8:00 AM start, everyone slowly getting out of their cars. I planned on taking it slow just wanting to make it through the miles. Worst case I felt I could make it through 22-24 reasonably well and stumble/walk home. It was a double out and back 7.5 miles around a relatively flat Salem Lake.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">As I was getting ready to run and talking to some of the folks around me I hear, “Hey 201 (my number) they called you to sing the National Anthem”. Thankfully it was a joke because that would not have been pretty.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Off we go, trying to keep it slow, unsure what to expect and fearing mile 20 or so at mile 1. No way to live. I fell in with a good group and unfortunately enjoyed the conversation but remember no names. About mile 5 I started running with a guy from Concord named Bill. As the miles and conversation clicked by we joined up with others, passed, and got passed and clicked off miles in the 10:15 – 10:45 pace. Low heart rate training unfortunately flew out the window as I was about 10 beats over but enjoying myself so decided not to stress it too much.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">The wind was just enough to keep us honest and the gloves on the hands. Every 3-3.5 miles were stations with peanut butter and other essentials. This is a big thing I need t work on, I carried a water bottle and Cliff Blocks. My plan was to sample the fare along the way but outside of pretzels I never felt comfortable doing that. I did take 2-3 Cliffs every hour (150 cals or so) and that was great. Tried Pepsi at one aid station but either my mind of the soda made my stomach upset so I passed on that from then on.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Back to the running. At some point we set a goal of anything with a 5 in the front being good, 5:30 being where we would like to be. Everything seemed ok through 23.5.</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">1st ½ - 2:46 – ok right on target</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Mile 23.5 – Ouch- what happened to what I used to call quads? Not sure if that was mental or physical but I suspect both. In my mind on the trip over I had told myself, “run 23, walk 8 and call it a success”. Well unfortunately (but thankfully) at mile 23 I was still running and talking to Bill. He was not comfortable with the thought that maybe I had nothing left in my tank so he pushed a little. It was a tough 7.5 for me and he could have left me several times (I was actually praying for that a little) to walk in but he stayed with me. We took our time coming in and came in a little over our goal. Without having to tow me in I am sure he would have been well under it but hard to express the thanks.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">2nd ½ -2:54</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Total 50K – 5:40</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">The event was very well organized. I am at awe seeing the leaders on the double out and back and everyone I met at the event either organizing, running, or supporting were tremendous. I have to run and catch a flight so I have no more time to ramble if you are still with me.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Take care,</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Jerry</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Here are the full results:</span></span><br><br><a href="http://www.twincitytc.org/RaceInformation/Results/tabid/67/Default.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="color:#606420;">http://www.twincitytc.org/RaceInformation/Results/tabid/67/Default.aspx</span></span></span></a>