Dave's 50miler - 0 to 50 miles in a year

This is my race report from the support side of Dave's 50 miler - The Bear Chase 50.  (Dave might have a WHOLE different version than my side of the story...)  *NOTE - I make a LOUSY motivator.   Personally, I can suffer  with the best of them, but when it comes to  one my loved ones suffering - I can't stand it.

History 

it started with this.  Dave had been thinking about taking up running - then he broke his arm while mtn biking.   2 weeks later he started running

6 weeks later we raced our first race ever - the Eerie Ere 5k in Oct 2011 - he was passed by this lady...on an uphill no less.  And yes - she was pushing the 2 kids while doing it.

Around March 2012 he decide it would be cool to run 50 miles.  He's been training hard ever since.  In June he hired Craig Howie to coach him.

Bear Chase 50 prep

cool race shirts - yeah, the beard is coming off after the race

The Saturday before the race was busy.  Getting everything ready to take to the venue, spending some time getting just the right beads for Dave to braid his beard (yes - true story), making the trek to Denver for packet pickup, getting some good food into Dave and hitting the sack by 9pm.
Dave had ordered "Donate Life - Be an organ donor" shirts.  He was running this run in honor of our pal, Kirk (Rocky) Derichsweiler and Dana D.   Part of the beard bead search mentioned above was for beads with Kirk's initials. 

3am came awfully early as I roused myself to cook Dave his "traditional" long run breakfast.  Cheese, zucchini, avocado egg omelet, fruit, sweet potato latkes, Ezekiel toast with almond butter.    Nutrition stats: 847 calories - Carbs 31%, Fat 52%, Protein 17%.

this is my breakfast - Dave's is twice the volume

Sadly, this day exasperated my absent mindedness - as I worried most of the day that I left my laptop outside of my house when we loaded up the car, I totally forgot my bike to use to get around on the course and I also forgot my running shoes - so I'd be able to maybe run behind Dave for part of the course.  big time FAIL.

We got the venue before 5am - busted in drove our way to the start line to drop gear for our pit.   Setup camp and waited for the start.

Lap 1

It was a beautiful morning and the temps had been predicted to very reasonable.    Dave was feeling good, loaded up with all his hydration/nutrition and ready to get it over with.

Dana D and Dave

I was an emotional wreck - I almost started crying BEFORE he even started

Xanthe had a more relaxed approach to the race start

Dave at the start line

There were several other distance races being run at the same time.  a 10k, half marathon and 50k.    I kept a look out and saw my friend, Lynnette starting the half looking all cute , happy and stylish.

Seriously, can I please look this good at one of my races??

Per his coach's instructions - he was supposed to run this at a low effort pace - Dana, Xanthe and I planned to cheer for him on course at ~mile 10.2 of the 12.5 mile loop.  I was guessing he'd run ~11min mile pace and that put us at the top of the hill waiting for him @ 1:50ish after he started.  

Dave rolled in right at at 1:51 after he started.   He was looking good, and his effort level seemed low (just as it should be).  We asked how he was and he said he was having some GI distress.  Uh..oh..that is NOT a good way to feel 10 miles into a 50 mile race.

mile 10 of a 50 mile race - Dave looking good

Dana stopped at the top of the hill with a beautiful view and we scattered some of Rocky's ashes.  If he was still on this planet he would've been there sweating the action...but his spirit with was us. for sure.

Dana sharing part of Kirk on the hill with the view

We watched for Dave coming down the hill to the finish line and saw him coming.  It seems like we were waiting a bit too long before he finally went to the start/finish to our pit area.    Turns out that Dave made a pit stop because his stomach was so upset.    When he rolled in (at 2:20 - exactly where we wanted him to be time-wise)  - we looked at what he had consumed and he ate taken in 900 calories.  WAY too many for that lap.  I advised him to slow down on the calorie consumption the next lap and keep the pace low in order for his GI system to process what he had eaten. 

Other than the GI issue - everything else seemed to be good for him.  We didn't rush him through his pit stop, but we didn't dawdle either.

Lap 2

One perk of the race was the vendor "Flipping Pancakes".    Once the dude got the grill going - he was churning out pancakes like no tomorrow.  And the kicker was they were really good.  I wish I had thought to bring some real maple syrup.  Even Dana gave them a thumbs up.   Our next door pit neighbor was enjoying the pancakes so much - when he went back for more - they cut him off.   His plan was to go back for more after the a chef shift change...hee...hee...

pancakes!!!

 Dana and I hiked up to the top of the hill to see Dave during this lap.  It would be ~mile 23 and I expected him at ~4:40 after the start.  He ended up rolling around 4:50 - a little behind schedule but not too bad...but he was walking.   He said that he was getting some really bad cramping in his diaphragm whenever he started running and tried to breathe.  uh..oh...  breathing and running is fairly critical for running race.   Dana had him keep moving forward and lift his arms to stretch out his diaphragm.    We watched him walk off at a brisk pace  and hoped for the best.

I'm asking Dave about his diaphragm cramps - not trying to accentuate my boobs.

I was a little concerned at this point and went to the pit to wait for him.   He rolled back down the hill and his 2nd  lap was 2:40.  He had been out for 5 hours and we had been hoping for the average of 2:30 laps - so he was still on schedule, but things were looking a bit grim.

1.  His stomach was still upset - he had slowed down the calorie intake (only 500 on lap 2), but he was still having distress
2.  His chest cramps had subsided a little bit and he was able to run
3. His right IT band was really hurting
4. Everything hurt

We refilled his nutrition, rolled his IT band and did as much as we could to get him feeling a little better .   He didn't look so good as he ran off and I was  feeling really bad for him.

Lap 3

Dana and I decided to go to the bottom of Mt. Carbon (~5.5 miles into the course) and this was be mile 30 of Dave's run.  I borrowed Xanthe's bike and Dana rode her bike to the bottom of the hill.  We cheered all the runners coming along as we began recognizing some of the people.   

Dana and I waited and waited and then waited some more.   Dave was WAY behind schedule.  I figured out this lap he was at a 16min mile pace. I was wondering if he quit.   We finally decided to ride the course backwards to find him.  

We finally saw him running toward us.   We asked what was going on  - this was at a very, very low point for him.  He said he had a strained ligament in his right knee.   He had gotten some Tylenol at the last aid station and had been walking for a quite a bit and just before he saw us he was able to start running a bit.   He said the uphills and the downhills really hurt his knee.   This terrified me, because this course is not flat - so that meant it hurt all the time.

Then I told him that Steve (his best friend) had called and was on his way to cheer and Dave said "Well that will be a wasted trip".  This comment from him made me bust out crying.    I was broken hearted that he was feeling so bad.     I said "DON'T say that.!!  Steve doesn't care what happens in this race, he just wants to be here for support and it won't be a wasted trip!"   I was worried about his ligament and he would do permanent damage...so I questioned if he should keep going. (see - I'm the WORST support person for sure).At that point in time my bike had a flat and I had to start walking .  Dave kept running and Dana (thank goodness) kept up with him and kept saying the right stuff to him.

When I finally caught back up to Dana - Dave was making his way up Mt. Carbon - running and walking, but moving forward.   I was so proud of him at this point - I shed a few more tears.

We made it back to the pit area - Dana told Xanthe that she needed to put her running shoes on and run the course backward toward Dave and run him in.   So Xanthe got ready to help save the day.  Good thing she got that extra sleep this morning!

Xanthe running uphill to go save the day!

I was a wreck - I was now super concerned that Dave wouldn't make the lap 3 cutoff at 3pm.  I alternated between wanting him to stop and wanting him to push on and finish.  I knew I hated knowing he was suffering, but I couldn't stand of the thought of all the HARD WORK he had put into this thing and not being able to finish.  I'm getting a knot in my throat  just typing this!!   I just wanted it to be over - if he didn't make the cutoff then the decision would be made for him.   And a the rate he was going - there was no way he'd make it.

Dave on lap 3 - he face says it all

Dana made a good point tho - if he made the cutoff and decided to stop or move forward it would be his CHOICE.  

Xanthe took off to search for Dave.  Then Dana, Steve (by this time he had showed up) and I marched back up the hill (this would be at ~mile 35/36 into his run) and waited.   At our vantage  could see  quite a ways and we looked hard in the distance for a white shirt(Dave) and gray shirt(Xanthe) running together.   Xanthe had asked the race volunteers about running with Dave and they said she could  absolutely run with him, but not "pace" him.  So Xanthe ran behind Dave in order to NOT set a pace for him.   Finally, we saw the 2 dots in the distance and I was happy to see that Dave had covered the last 4ish miles at at respectable 12:30 min mile pace.  

He was still suffering when he ran by us, but he was still running.  the time was 2:30pm and he had 30 minutes to cover 2.5 miles in order to make the cut off.   We made our way down the hill  to wait. 

At this time, my amazing friend Neeraj came running by.   He was racing the 50 miler  too(and just lapped Dave) and was cruising to the finish.   He looked as fresh as a daisy and was cranking out a fast pace.  I was able to get a few shots of him.   Seriously, nobody should look this good at mile 49.5 of a 50 miler.

Dang!  he's looking good for being 49.5 miles into a 50 miler, eh?

We watched for Dave come down the hill and watched the clock.   We finally saw him and I asked the time.  It was 2:51 - Dave was GOING TO MAKE  THE CUTOFF.     He crossed the line at 2:54 - with 6 minutes to spare.

Lap 4

Dave made his way into the pit area and I stayed out of the way knowing I would say the wrong thing to him.  I'm so fortunate to have Dana, Xanthe and Steve to keep him going.  

Now his problems were:
1.  Still GI issues
2.  The bottom of his feet were hurting badly.   He was even running downhill with bad form because his feet hurt so bad and Dave's a great downhiller
3. Knee ligament still hurt, but the Tylenol helped blunt the pain
4. everything still hurt.

But Dave showed no sign of stopping.  He asked for a couple of the Oxycodone he had brought in case of emergency.    We  feed him his pills, loaded him up was water,nutrition and we watched him hobble off.  Lap 3 had been a 3:20 lap - he'd have 3:30 to complete lap 4.    The final cut off would be 6:30pm - 12 hours after the start.  

Dave hanging tough - getting ready to go out for lap 4

Dana, Steve and I went off to the bottom of Mt. Carbon to wait.   We cheered and encouraged the runners.   Steve took off to find Dave  and Dana and waited.    We saw them and Dave was making some decent time.   Looked like Dave totally turned this thing around.

We went back to the pit area.   Packed up almost everything.   I went to the top of the hill at mile 47.5 and waited.   I finally saw Steve and Dave off in the distance.  It was slow going, but they were making progress.  Dave rolled through mile 47.5 at around  5:30pm...even if he walked every bit of the last 2.5 miles - he would still finish in time.

we waited.   We finally saw Dave running down the last hill and all rushed to the finish line .  Dave crossed the finish line at 6:05pm - 11:35 after he started!!!

Dave crossing the finish line.  50 miles - DONE!

Aftermath

Dave was surprising coherent after he finished.   We got him changed and  let him decompress a bit.  

We are so lucky to have friends like Dana, Xanthe and Steve.   It took all of us (and me staying out of the way) to get Dave through this race.  Yes  - Dave did the hard part - but it wouldn't have happened if been for our friends.  I'm very grateful.

T

the crew - Xanthe, Steve, Dave, me, Dana

We finally got everything packed up and started the trek home.  Dave started complaining I was driving "too jerky", but it was just his stomach was super sensitive to any movement.  I stopped and pulled out a plastic bag in case he had to hurl.    A little later he asked me to pull over and he put the plastic bag to use.   It was pretty gnarly.   But he felt better.   I had to pull over 1 more time on the way home, but we finally made it.   He was wobbly getting out of the car.   I put him in an Epson salt bath and got him some food and put him to bed.

This was a huge accomplishment.  Dave made a couple of mistakes, but worked through the discomfort, mental low points and did it.  I don't have the words to express how proud I am of him.  Dave has been running for a just right at a year now and it was his 3rd race.   He's raced a 5k, a 10k and now a 50 miler.  go big or go home, eh?   

Postscript

The next morning I couldn't find my keys anywhere.  I used my extras and then Dave texted me later that I left the keys in the passenger side door lock when I got something out of the car the night before.  The race support really makes me more absent minded that normal!!!

This would also be the day that "Mr. Beard" is coming off.  Dana had granted him an extension, but now was the day of reckoning.   The beard definitely gave Dave a distinguishing feature, but he's so much more handsome with out it. :)

Dana - getting down to business!

the deed is done!

I totally love this guy!

THE END