Friday night was full of anxiousness and excitement as I prepped for the run. I separated my food into three separate waves for each loop and triple checked everything in my drop bag and alarm clock. I had a bracelet from Chloe, Tricia's watch, and a granola bar from Annabelle that she tells me is very tasty. I finally manage to get to sleep around eleven after finishing my sex miles...
How quickly 3 am came around and I was up to shower, eat, and check everything again. I woke up the family and we jumped in the car for the ride to Brooksville. Less than an hour later we are rolling down the nicely graded gravel road into the Withlacoochee State Forest headed to the start finish. By 5:15 we are at the check in take picking up the neon green tech shirt and swag bag. No timing chips here and no big fanfare, just about 50 crazies willing to go 50 are here. I strap on my headlight, slip my sunglasses on the back of my shirt, and warm up the trusty Garmin wondering if it will have enough juice to make It all day. I give kisses to my daughters and wife and walk down to the start line. The race director says a few words and gives a flashlight to the one runner without one and moments later he shouts, "Go!".
We start off on the bonus loop of about 5 miles before we jump back on the main 15 mile loop trail called the orange trail (I think). I take off hot with the lead group and finish the first mile in 7:30 before calming down and remembering the words of all my supportive friends to start slow! I resolve to stick to my plan and run 25 minutes then walk 5 until the hills come up and then will walk them and adjust. The first loop has the sticky predawn air and while I appreciate the cool I look forward to sunrise to dry the air. I have my moments of self doubt and wondering what the hell I'm doing out there but I push thought the first loop and have 20 miles done....only 30 to go and I ask myself, "Why stop now you are 40% done?"
I restock my heed and water and grab the bag I have prepped for loop two and head out for more. Before I know it I have run a full marathon, it is noonand hot, and I tell myself, "you're over halfway there and no matter what you will be an ultra marathoner when you finish this loop". The miles from 22-28 really test me with nasty abdominal cramps on the right side whenever I run but the are disappear when walking and I keep reminding myself this will pass. I distract myself with thoughts of the sex miles from the night before and press on. Around mile 30, I reach an aid station and "Mom" notices I have only drank one water bottle (of four) since the last aid station. She makes sure I drink up and refills my bottles with cold liquids. I press on with loop two with 5 miles to go.
The terrain starts to look familiar and I see a sign that reads 0.2 miles to water and I know I am moments from the start of loop 3. By now it is about 2 pm and there is no way I am stopping. My brain has given up on that idea and I refill bottles and grab bag 3 for the final loop. It is getting very difficult to eat and I suck down a hammer gel and some soda as I can't even imagine another peanut butter packet at this point. Time has begun to blend together and I feel the blister in my left shoe has spread to the right....but i keep moving. I come up on the first aid station manned by a Red Sox fan who I congratulated on his win vs. The Yankees. He tells us we can finish by 10.5 hours if we keep up pace but I am delirious by now and just want to finish safely. I look over his drinks and see cups of cold beer and quickly drink two (they are little) and head off for more. Relentless forward motion is the rule out here and we don't stop. Around mile 40 I am lucky enough to meet up with someone at my same pace (walking with sporadic running) and we hang together chatting for the next 9 miles. I keep telling him let's run after this hill but we keep walking until I challenge him and then I crack and watch him run away. Moments later another guy who had been sick most of the afternoon passes me and I resolve to try and catch him and run the last mile as hard as I can. We hit the 0.2 miles to water sign and I know the end is near. I round the last corners and come up on my wife, daughters, and Buddy Buster (Grandpa's dog). I run across the finish line to the cheers of the group gathered in the campground and proceed to fist bump and celebrate with everyone I can. My wife greets me with an ice cold Bud Light and I sit down on the most comfortable wooden picnic table I have ever felt.
50 miles, done in less than 11 1/2 hours... Easy as pie.
