Being my first 50 miler, I just wanted to make it through feeling half way decent to the finish. My finishing time was slower than anticipated, but I'm not dissapointed as I was venturing into uncharted territory for myself. I maintained the goal to conserve my energy with going out slowly, walking the major uphills, and steady on the flats and downhills.
I had the full support of my wife, who ventured up to start with me at 4:30 a.m. and had the patience to wait for my finish. She's always a real trooper! I also had a friend of mine meet me at 25 miles, and ran with me for the remaining half. It was nice to have someone to give me encouragement and to disrtract me from my screaming right leg.
It was a good day, even though the weather reports had appeared less than favorable. The sun came out periodically, and there was a cool breeze, for which I was grateful. | 