RUN FOR REGIS

I have been negelecting my blog AKA BLOGSLACKING....I've been face booking.   

The Run For Regis use to be the Winter Buckeye 50K.  It also use to on the last weekend of the month.  My birthday is January 29th so I would use this run for a birthday run. I would request/reserve the bib number of my age.  The course has changed the date of the race has chaged, but I am keeping with tradition and keep this event as my birthday run.  This year I will turn 43 so I got bib #343.

The plan was to run with Brett, Bob, and Cindy. The vision was just a nice easy run in the woods. As we headed out Cindy stopped to tie her shoe and never caught up to us. It was Bob, Brett & I. By mile 8 inside Kendall Lake Trail, Brett started to fall behind. It was up to Bob & I to push through. I told Bob we need to take this course apart. Run in chunks instead of viewing the course as a whole. Run the small 5 mile section then get back to the stat/finish aid station then get of the dreaded 8/9 mile Kendall Lake section. It was the only way to get through the course.

I was ready to quit at mile 18. Bob said after finishing this race he would have 4 50K’s in the books. I wanted to make sure he got number 4 in the books.

This course sucked!! I usually find a way to have fun at races but this wasn’t the case for The Run For Regis. The trails had snow, ice and mud. There wasn’t any sure footing.

I wore my trail shoes with the screws in them. I place a sturdy replacement insert for more support. This turned out to be a bad idea. I received blisters on the arches of my feet. The replacement insert was rubbing. I replaced one insert, (that didn’t help the damage was done). After mile 18 I started feeling a blister on the other foot. I could do anything I just kept moving and saying I’ll deal with it later.

Although I can’t say I had fun, I can say I found a way to keep running, to keep pushing Bob & myself, and to keep moving. I found myself thinking of the man who I was running for and his family. I was never giving an opportunity to meet him. I know he was a great man. I also found myself finding energy to run when I felt like quitting. I can’t explain this feeling, it was something I’ve felt before, but again to try and explain it is hard.
Bob & kept together for ALL 32.45 miles (slightly over 50K) 8:11.  My slowest 50K time.  All is good.

 I'm ready for some muddy trail!!!  For a few more week I'll hit the street to gear up for the Myrtle Beach Marathon.  Then I need to focus/plan on my first 50 Miler.

I'm also going to try and keep up with writing my blog.