Summer Solstice 6HR Run Race Report

Every time I finish a race or run some fairly absurd distance I'm still in awe that I'm able to do what I do. It's almost a surprise every time I pass that marathon mark, and just keep running. I hope that I never become used to running ultra distances and that I'm always thankful of what I can do.

Last Friday night, I had another really great race. (My first being the Leona Divide 50M earlier this year) Earlier last week I wrote a blog about why I like this race. Check it out HERE.

I don't know why I felt like I had to prove something to myself, but for some reason I felt like I wasn't a "real" runner if I couldn't run 40 miles at this race. It's the most ridiculous idea ever, but I feel as of late I've become more of a long distance hiker/trail jogger, etc instead of a true runner.

I proved myself completely wrong on Friday night. Below is a comparison chart of my splits for the past three years. See the results for yourself.

I think that I've finally learned how to suffer. I've finally learned how to listen to my body. I've finally learned how to be an ultra runner. It took years of stupid mistakes, puking on the gorgeous 5 mile downhill descent towards the Jemez finish line, sitting on a log on the Highline trail, and multiple races where my nutrition just wasn't there.

My 6 hour adventure this year started just like the other two years.

We headed off onto our one mile loop at 9pm. Unlike years past, this time I ran my own pace. I let two other guys run off into the distance knowing I'd see them again if my race went the way I planned.

It took about 5 miles to warm up but finally around mile 6 I was feeling good and still running around an 8:30 pace. To make a long story short, I maintained by goal pace up until mile 27 when I took a quick pee break. Things were going perfectly. While I was definitely getting uncomfortable I was still moving extremely well.

Somewhere around miles 28-31 I experienced a "low point" of sorts. My body was all the sudden craving something other than the gels I was eating every 25 minutes and S-Caps. I was recognizing that my body was telling me something. About a mile later I realized I had an ice-cold Redbull in my drop bag. I'm not a huge advocate of energy drinks while exercising, but this Redbull HIT THE SPOT. The quick cold sugary mix brought me back within a mile or so and I was back in the game. Mile 32 was my slowest mile at 9:58. That was with around 2 minutes of walking. My first significant walk break was mile 29 I believe.

I was constantly doing math in my head trying to figure out how slow I could run and still get the 40 miles I wanted. I kept crossing the starting line thinking that mile had to be over 10 minutes, but none of them were. I was still moving.

By mile 38 I was convinced I was stopping at mile 40. This whole time I had caught one of the guys that went off the front, but one of them had lapped me at least 2-3 times.

For this reason that I wasn't really sure what place I was in, so I just kept pushing through. I knew that when that clock hits 6 hours I was done. I could suck it up for two more miles. Sure enough my last two miles were by far the fastest by over 45 seconds. I crossed the line for the 42nd time in 6:01:55 and knew I was done.

I had run 42 miles at an average mile of 8:37. It was now 3:05AM.

The RD handed out overall awards within a few minutes and I found out that I had gotten 2nd place to someone that had run 45 miles.

The funny thing about this, is that I was as happy as could be. I knew that even on my best day I wouldn't have been able to run 45 miles. I was 100% happy with my race and that was what mattered here.

I accepted my $25 gift card to Target for 2nd overall, got back in my car, and headed back to Plano, Texas with a huge grin on my face.

Next stop. Silverton, CO.

_Jacob_