The Running Thread - 2021

[FFigawi]

Good luck to everyone registering for the virtual Boston today

 

[Krandor]

Hi,
I saw somewhere that they are changing the star wars theme? Just away from Rival run or star wars altogether to something new?

Sounds like away from star wars because somebody asked about legacy and was told it wouldn't apply since it's a new theme.

 

[Krandor]

I don’t know that we know if it is completely away from Star Wars or not. My guess is that it might change - maybe be Flower & Garden related?? - kind of a W&D in the spring.

I know i won't happen these days but I still want a night race back.

 

[The Expert]

Anybody else trying to register for the virtual Boston Marathon this morning? The link was supposed to be up at 10am Eastern, but the site crashed about two minutes before with a salesforce error. Refreshing, but just getting that error over and over. You'd think with 70K spots, they'd have implemented some sort of queue system, but apparently there is someone worse at IT than runDisney!

 

[Dopey 2020]

Same here, crash, on multiple devices, will it happen? at least it feels like a runDisney registration

 

[The Expert]

At least with RD we get a spinning Mickey or something!

 

[The Expert]

Site is back up, but no link?? Annnnnd now it's back down.

 

[Bree]

I'm registered for Boston!

 

[The Expert]

Woohoo! Me too! Once you get into the form, it goes pretty smoothly. Congrats @Bree and good luck to everyone trying!

 

[Dopey 2020]

I’m in, wasn’t going to do another virtual but... it’s Boston!

 

[Grabnar]

Signed up for my first marathon! I was going to aim for WDW, but how many times are you able to run Boston (even virtually)?

 

[The Expert]

Exactly! There is no way I'll ever qualify on performance, so this is likely the only way I will ever get to do it. I'm still hoping for WDW MW 2021 to happen and to sign up for the full, so I figure this will be good training even if I'm breaking it up and using my treadmill.

 

[camaker]

Thank you to everyone who read and/or commented on my race report!

Holy cow!!! I am in awe. I would have quit.

Way to go @camaker ! So amazing how you could start again (twice!) with the crazy weather... talk about tenacity!

As close to the end as I was when the storms came, there’s no way I was quitting! I will say, though, that DW and DDs use far less positive terms than “tenacity“ to describe my general approach to things!

@camaker great job! Way to be strong. bummer that you lost your momentum at 50 because of the rain but way to stay with it! Guess this means you will have to do another. This past weekend was the Georgia Death race. 74 miles and 15,000 ft of gain. I can crew for you.

Ummm, how about an alternate plan that doesn’t involve aspects like “15,000ft of gain” and descriptors like “Death Race”? You and DH could come up for next year’s race and we could decide between the 100k and 100m and have your DH and my DW share crewing duties. Maybe we could rope @FFigawi in with us!

Well done @camaker ! Now to get you over to run Comrades with me. Or maybe I’ll join you for a 100 at Rocky or the Outer Banks.

Comrades looks so intriguing, but the time cutoffs make me nervous. I don’t know if I’m fast enough to keep pace with its elevation changes. I’d be happy to look at Rocky or we’d love to host you for an OBX run! I’m really feeling a return to Blackbeard’s Revenge at this point, but I’m not ready to decide between another bite at the 100k or a step up to the 100m. One of the nice things about BBR is its generous time cutoff of ~31.5h for both races.

 

[garneska]

Ummm, how about an alternate plan that doesn’t involve aspects like “15,000ft of gain” and descriptors like “Death Race”? You and DH could come up for next year’s race and we could decide between the 100k and 100m and have your DH and my DW share crewing duties. Maybe we could rope @FFigawi in with us!

Ha i agree on the 15,000 ft of gain, hiking is one thing but yeah. Funny I could probably be convinced. i admit i do look at Comrades as well, not sure i could do it but it is on a bucket list.

 

[RunDopey]

In-Person Race Report - Blackbeard’s Revenge 100k

I haven’t been able to run an in-person race since Dopey 2020, so of course I had to mark my return to live races with an attempt at my first 100k! Blackbeard’s Revenge 100m & 100k is run along the NC outer banks with the 100k starting at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head and ending at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. I love running on the outer banks because they’re flat and nostalgic. I grew up fishing for and gigging flounder in the salt marshes with my father and being out there brings back great memories.

We started off the race at the end of the pier, about a tenth of a mile out over the Atlantic at 9:30am and I immediately settled into a rhythm of walking the first minute of each mile and running the rest. The entirety of the route was on the shoulder of open roads, mostly highway, and a few miles in we passed the Bodie Island Lighthouse (I like lighthouses). The first real concern for me arose around mile 8/9. I don’t like heights and the course took us across the new 2.8 mile long Basnight Bridge over Oregon Inlet. With a constant 10-12mph wind gusting higher trying to blow me into traffic, I was not a fan. The views from the top of the 75’ tall center spans were breathtaking, though.

Relieved to have the bridge behind me, I settled into an easy rhythm, clicking off the miles. DW was crewing for me, scouting aid stations and refilling my consumables when needed. I hit a low point around miles 25-35. My legs were starting to tire a little, my knee was starting to hurt and I was hitting the 50k mark, an ultra distance in its own right, and was only half done! A pre-planned change of shoes and socks at the mid-point aid station did a lot to ease the knee pain and I started playing mental games with my race strategy to refocus. I would vary my run/walk interval and focus on running the new strategy for 5 miles to address the fatigue in my legs and keep my mind in the present and not what lay ahead.

By the time I got to mile 47, I was fully back on my game and paused to put on my night gear (it was ~6:45pm at this point). In a nice little diversion at this point, racers had to do a 1.3m out and back to historical Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and pick up a pirate’s eye patch at the turnaround to show you’d completed the segment at the next aid station. I was cruising again, feeling good as I hit the 50 mile mark, and looking forward to a countdown of the last 12 miles. I should’ve known it was too good to be true, seeing a full moon rising as I headed away from the lighthouse, because that’s when all hell started to break loose on the course!

There was lightning and thunder on the horizon, literally. It got progressively closer with some of the most brilliant bolts I’ve seen lighting up the sky as night fell. At mile 52, I had to take cover in a school entryway as the lightning got way too close for comfort and the deluge began. DW made it back to me and we sat in the car waiting for the storm to pass. The race directors emailed out that the race had been suspended (although the clock continued to run) and we waited for the all clear to start back up again. After waiting more than 65 minutes in the car, word finally came that we could continue.

All the rhythm and momentum was gone. Sitting in the car for that long, I cooled off and everything stiffened up. While the lightning was gone, now it was raining in waves of light to moderate intensity. It was pitch black and I could barely see through the rain with my headlamp and I was having a hard time seeing standing water on the side of the road. My feet and socks were soaked from splashing through ankle deep water I couldn’t see until it was too late. Then at mile 54 the lightning returned.

A new cell had developed on the back end of the storm system. I ran through increasingly heavy rain until, again, the lightning got too close. I found a closed bakery with an awning just wide enough to shelter under as the storm peaked again and they pulled racers from the course. DW had a hard time finding me this time, so there wasn’t much time left to sit. This delay was around 17 minutes, but it was enough to cause problems.

The restart after this delay was the only time I felt like I was in danger of a DNF. I was soaked and chilled and started having chills strong enough that I thought I was going to shake the watch off my wrist. Fortunately, after a quarter to half a mile, I started to warm up again and the shaking subsided. Mercifully the rain stopped, although I still had trouble seeing the standing water. I didn’t even pause at the last aid station, just calling out my bib number to the volunteer so she could check me in officially, opting to keep what little momentum I had going to the finish line.

I hit the finish line just after 11:45pm for an official time of 14:17:45. I estimate my actual running time, factoring out the rain delays, to be somewhere around 12:55:15. It would’ve been better than that if I’d been able to carry my mile 50 momentum through the finish line.

Ultimately, I finished 12th overall (56 registered, 44 finished, DNF/DNS breakdown unknown) and place 2nd among Masters Men for my first ever age group award at any distance! I was stunned!

Thanks for sticking with me through a long race recap. A lot happened over those 62 miles and these were just the biggest “highlights”. It was a blast and an adventure and I’d totally do it again. The race was extremely well run and organized. I’d recommend it to anyone without reservation. I’m already hoping to be back next year either for a shot at a “clean” 100k or a first 100m attempt.

Jennette’s Pier (Start line at the tip of the pier)
View attachment 565798

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
View attachment 565799

Course Overview
View attachment 565800

The Medal (Favorite Medal to Date!)
View attachment 565801

Well done @camaker! Way to persevere through a difficult race. I find the road ultras a lot tougher due to the hard surface and I cannot imagine having to start again after sitting for an hour, especially towards the end of a race. I would be happy to join you and @FFigawi at Rocky or Comrades

 

[Waiting2goback]

I had trouble registering as did everyone but I got my Boston spot. Not sure I’ll be able to run it. Going for Xrays on my back today as that has to happen for the insurance company will approve an MRI. Still hopeful I’ll be good to go by October. Good luck to everyone that was able to register.

I thought about going to Disney to run it down there. I bet prices will be crazy though, being a holiday weekend after the 50th begins.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

FYI - There are still spots open for Boston if anyone is considering it.

 

[PrincessV]

YOU ARE AMAZING @camaker! Really, fantastic feat there.

 

[PrincessV]

FYI - There are still spots open for Boston if anyone is considering it.

GAH, I'm trying so hard to resist! I just don't know if I can pull it off while it's still basically summer here in Florida. In addition to the infernal heat and daily thunderstorms, it's also peak hurricane season - I don't mind running in the rain, and I've even run a few miles during named storms, but I have to draw the line when we reach a Cat 1 hurricane and it would really suck if we got one that weekend lol!

 

[steph0808]

I'm trying to resist signing up for virtual Boston as well! It is probably the only way I'll ever run Boston, but I really don't want to do a virtual marathon!

I think I might sign up for Wineglass in person at the beginning of October to keep my marathon every year streak alive (so far it's only been 2018, 2019, and 2020).