Went down to Canal Fulton Ohio for the Eagle Up Ultra.
I had a goal of doing 100k with a fail plan of doing 50 miles.
I had done several 20 mile training events.
Doing legs and taking breaks with the idea of being sustainable for longer intervals.
Were my legs still able to function after 20 like they were at the beginning?
I knew that barring some catastrophic event, I could do 50k.
Which still, in some ways, causes cognitive dissonance for me.
I know I am more of an athlete now but I still remember being the fat guy that couldn't walk 3 blocks without needing to stop.
Eagle Up is a significant race for me.
It is one that is closest to my surgery date and is a good gauge of the changes that I have gone thru.
This was my 5th time doing it in 1 version or another.
- 2017 - Blown knee/Torn Meniscus so I just took pictures and had my race deferred to the following year. I weighed between 300 & 325 around that time. I was able to still function and did walking, which is how I blew my knee out.
- 2018 - Rucking division because I was too big to run in any way. At this point I was doing the stuff to get to surgery but still hadn't gotten everything set. I was 375 pounds. I finished my 2nd lap sometime after 1am and cried on Eric's (race director) shoulder as I was a broken man at that point. I was so done, I even struggled the 100 yards back to my camp and someone ended up helping me with my ruck.
- 2019 - I rucked again as I was just starting to get to the point where I could run but wasn't ready to try the event as a runner. I was still struggling with my self image and rucking was a good way to move but not run and feel less than the runners that I kind of felt jealous/envious of. I got 35 miles and stopped as I didn't have time to get to the next award level and was tired but could have kept moving but barely.
- 2020 - The event was cancelled due to covid so I did a virtual version of the event at home. I had been training hard for it and felt good. I had a 5ish mile loop planned out and was doing it. I had to sit out over 2 hours due to weather and managed 50+ miles. I might have made my 100k that year but not with giving up that much time due to weather. I also realized I shouldn't have been doing the hill as that much elevation gain was taking a lot out of my legs. Felt ok at the end and was still moving but only at a walk or a jog for 10 seconds at most.
That brings me to 2021.
I had been doing 5 mile loops for training so I was used to doing that long on a single lap.
I had switched to running at lunch so I could be used to more heat since I was still wearing cold gear into May for my morning runs.
I was working on hydration and nutrition ideas for what would work better than what I had done in the past.
I ended up struggling with shoes since the my newer Brooks Ghost 13s had changed the heel cup and had started causing blisters on the achilles tendon area compared to my Ghost 12s. Unfortunately, I only had 1 pair of the size 11s since I had finally dropped enough weight to need to move down from the 11.5s I had been wearing. I had a pair of 11.5s but they tended to cause blisters in the heels due to movement.
I had been training to do 1 jog lap followed immediately by a walk loop. That would get me 10 miles and allow me to maintain while getting some rest.
So, how did my event go?
Got a late start on the course because, of course, I had to make a last minute porta potty stop.
Legs were a bit tight from travel but loosened up after a bit and I got into my intervals.
Paid attention to the times so I wasn't pushing too hard.
I knew I needed to keep the pace to a long term sustainable one.
Still had multiple miles in the 12s but was trying to keep them to 13-14ish.
Finished the first lap in 1:09 so on par with my training runs.
Felt good.
Grabbed some food stuff on the way by camp and headed out for my 2nd half of my planned loops.
Lap went well and got back right at 2:30ish for 10 miles.
This was right about where I was hoping and I knew that if I could keep anywhere near this, I could get to my 100k.
Took a break, changed clothes and socks.
Ate a little bit but was trying to not do much of that on the break before my run loop so just had a bit of brown rice.
Refilled my water bottle and changed out to my second pair of shoes to give my first ones a chance to dry out.
Started out a bit fast and had a 12 min mile on first 2 miles so forced myself to slow it down.
Finished out the last 3 with 14s and really felt good.
Stopped to grab a small bagel with lunch meat, a protein drink, and refilled my water bottle.
Went out on my walking lap and that went well.
At this point, I was ahead of my required pace for 100k by over 1 hour and my legs felt great.
Took another break to change gear out.
Now I had a choice of going back to my first shoes (which I probably should have) or go to my 3rd pair which were the 11.5s with bigger inserts to try to help take up the slack of being slightly too big.
The heat at that point had gotten over 80 and it was really starting to take a toll on people.
I knew that if I waited, I could have more energy later but I didn't want to lose my chance at the 100k so I pushed thru and went back out.
I should have carried packets to help refill my water bottle with G Zero or Propel but I didn't think about it so I ended up just using water. I also didn't realize that the coolers at the water stops contained ice for the runners so I was using the luke warm water from the coolers which is NOT my thing at all.
My pace for that loop was 14s and 15s so I felt good about that but the heat definitely wasn't helping.
When I got back for my refill before my walking lap, I took a longer break.
I was also worried about my Garmin as the charge was down below 40% and I couldn't figure how to turn on Ultra Trac while a workout was going. I knew how to do it before one so it might just not be adjustable during. I asked around for a cable and had several looking for one to get my watch recharged. (more time taken).
Went out for the walk portion and it was HOT.
17 & 18 min miles with the water stops.
But I was putting ice in my water bottle at this point so that was helping some.
Also was walking with some others that were struggling so I was going a bit slower than I might have been able to do.
Finished with 30 at this point and it was hot and I was feeling it a bit.
I managed to find my cable to charge my watch so I got that going and changed into new clothes.
I swapped out the new laces in my Ghost 12s that fit since the new ones were too stretchy and were allowing my feet to shift a bit.
I also put on some friction stuff on my feet.
THIS might have been a mistake since I hadn't been doing that before but I was hearing about how so many were dealing with blisters and I got worried.
I hadn't been using it for any of my training runs or laps so far.
I don't know if it affected me on this lap but I ended up with a blister on the ball of my foot.
After the loop when I decided to stop.
Sunday morning after my shower.
As you can see, it isn't bad but by the positioning, there was not much I could to to prevent it from getting much worse.
I had never had one there before, so even if I had put preventative tape on, I wouldn't have done it there, it all would have been on the heels where I have blistered before.
At this point, I chose to stop the race as I had my 50k level and I didn't want to hurt myself more trying to push thru.
Many were pushing thru on blisters but I couldn't justify it for myself.
Not sure why, but I chose to play it smarter for me at this point.
I still had enough time, if I had taken short breaks to get my 100k but that would have required me to be at the same pace I had been at and with a blister, I wasn't going to be able to do that.
I could have tried for 50 miles, but that would be 3 laps on this blister.
Was it the right choice?
Did I wimp out?
Could I or should I have pushed thru the pain and gone for more?
Some might doubt my decision but I am fine with it.
I don't need to prove my toughness to others.
I can still celebrate getting 35 miles, having my legs still be strong, and knowing that if a blister hadn't been the issue, I could have done more.
If anyone wants to tell me I am less of a person for stopping, I will just remove them from my life.
I don't need that toxicity around me.
Am I sad that I didn't go on?
Yes, I wanted to hit my goal but my goal wasn't worth long term health risks.
Once you blister badly, you are more susceptible to blisters in the same spot.
And once I recover, which should be fairly quickly as it is healing nicely, I can get back to running again (after I figure out shoes).
This is this morning already.
Tuesday morning and no loose skin, just discolored.
Will I do the Eagle Up again?
Definitely YES.
I looked and the sign up isn't live yet.
I will be looking for it and will be back since it is such a personal race for me.
Some fun pics during the race.
Seems many people got pics of these guys.
I didn't take many this year, something I need to keep in mind for next year.
Pics with people and things.
So for an odd issue during the race, my watch didn't seem to have a solid charge.
Not sure why as it was 100% on Friday morning.
Elsolel also said the GPS tracking wasn't working, so I wonder if something was up with that and was causing it to drain faster.
I was going thru nearly 15% power per loop.
Luckily I found my charger but it was annoying.
Also glad the Fenix 5 allows charging during an event.
But, I have decided that my next watch will probably the Coros Vertix, unless they have a new model before I need it.
Not planning on upgrading unless someone wants to buy my old Fenix 5 from me before it dies.
It has a MUCH longer battery life and seems to be the go to watch for endurance athletes.
And after looking the cost of a new Fenix 6 with the stuff I want on it, the price is about the same.
The Vertix has a 45 DAY life outside of doing GPS and 60 hours during a full GPS event. I can go with an extended setting of GPS and do 150 hours.
It will also allow charging during an event so makes sense.
Even if I am not doing an event, only having to charge the watch once a month (2-3 hours), it is a great option.
Now for what I learned during this event and the training leading up to it.
FOOD/NUTRITION is critical during the event.
I only burned 4000 calories during the 35 miles but if I hadn't been putting any back, I know I would hit a wall a lot sooner than I would eating.
I am sure people have heard this or at least should have but I was able to experiment a bit and found options that really helped me.
Mini bagel with lunch meat worked good as a filler and helped provide some calories.
Jerky worked well and I could carry some in a ziploc back in my running vest.
Protein shakes were good during the walking legs.
Still need to figure more carbs but the rice wasn't bad but needed more flavor as just plain brown rice is NOT a great flavor for me but I am sure was good for me.
G Zero and Propel packets won't provide calories but work well with water bottle.
Popcorn is good for snack between legs.
Need to find out if I can tolerate Nutella or find a way to carry or provide Sun Butter for myself at events. Sun Butter on a tortilla would be really good, even with a small bit of jelly (maybe those packets).
A lot to figure out for future events.
Also depends on if it is a loop or an out and back.
Are there drop bags?
If so, what will work in them?
SHOES/SOCKS
Proper fitting shoes are a must.
I probably should have stuck with the 1 pair that fit great or just used those and the others that were really close.
I shouldn't have tried to make a pair that didn't fit right make do for me.
Also need to see how much changing out the trail injiji socks with the thinner ones affect me.
It might be that the thicker trail ones, on such a hot day, basically cooked my feet and helped cause the blister.
A thinner sock might have been cooler.
Could the insert have been too soaked and caused the moisture so maybe swappable inserts between legs?
HYDRATION
I should make sure to carry packets of G Zero/Propel in my running vest for stops.
This will allow me to keep getting electrolytes when I am sweating.
Also ask for ice if I don't see it.
I could have been getting ice every mile or so earlier on to help keep cool if I had asked before on the course.
Having cool/cold water makes a big difference versus warm water on a day when the dew point is in the 70s.
So there are a couple of future races that I might go to.
The Badger 100 has a 33 hour 100k option.
It costs $200, expensive to me, but probably not compared to other events.
I am just not used to that much.
But I have paid $125 for an event before.
That is July 31-Aug 1.
My brother is planning on it and so is Eric.
Since I want my 100k Badge, this seems to be the best way to do it since it has such a long race cut off.
I am also being asked if I want to do the Tuscazoar 100 Race.
If I do it, I will only do the 25 mile option.
It is put on by Eric so I know it will be a solid fun event.
It is more of a trail event which is NOT what I normally run at this point but it has a generous time cut off so I could walk it if I needed to.
Not expensive and is over the Labor Day weekend.
Final thoughts:
I look at the pic at the top of this post and depending on where I am mentally, I am proud of it and I am ashamed of it.
Proud of where I have come from, the fact that I can actually run for it, and am fit.
Ashamed as I still see the loose skin, the flabby spots, the imperfections.
I know I shouldn't feel ashamed but at some level I still do.
I fight that body image where I am not good enough.
I am getting better about recognizing that voice and stomping it down but I am sure it will always have a small tiny voice whispering in my ear.
