Picking up from last time –
I don’t know if you read about my first marathon, but it was a disaster (a disaster!).
It took over 15 hours. 15 hours is more than enough time to do a 50-miler. So, I thought it would be really cool if I could finish my first 50 in less time than it took to do my first marathon. That was kind of the reach goal.
Ultimately, my main goal was to finish (healthily). But if I could do it in under 15, I thought that’d be pretty rad.
I was keeping in mind that it was on a trail, and I was at over 4,000 feet altitude (when I live at sea level). Plus, I had a small cold. (I know. Boo hoo, right?) Since I had some small things working against me, I thought I’d feel out the day and just see how things went.
Well, my first lap only took about half an hour, and I was pretty comfortable at that speed. After the first lap, it was on like Donkey Kong! Let’s hit that 15-hour mark!
I just tried to keep a pretty steady pace going. I’d quickly stop for fuel and be on my merry way.
I kept track of my laps in my phone by counting 5 groups of 5 laps each. That’s how I broke it apart to think of it in pieces instead of one big 50-mile race.
Originally, my goal was to only take real breaks in between the groups of 5 laps, but it didn’t work out that way. I took breaks when I needed them.
I took my longest break (which I think was still only about 10 minutes or so) after the first marathon was done. I used the bathroom, threw back some Gatorade and maybe a few snacks, and I even took a couple of pictures as though to say, “Yay! Look, the marathon’s done.”
And then it was back to work.
Speaking of pictures… Well, let’s get into that next time!