WHISTLER 50 MILE

If this run was a hotel, I would call it a" 5 star". It was very luxurious running. Great information,  organization, trail markings, aid stations, volunteers, and even port a potty heaven- you name it, you were well cared for. Being a newbie to the 50 mile distance, I highly recommend this run.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

I have trained for two 50 milers this summer- both cancelled due to funerals etc. By Sept I was frustrated with 'wasting my time' doing all those long runs and decided to put together a team for the Whistler 50 relay (formerly H2H). I shortened my runs, trying to pick up speed... but kept  up with mini doubles 2 hr/3 hr sat/sun runs with my husband. Well, the team fell apart.

Instead of being frustrated again, I decided to be positive and ACT on what I wanted to do.... I signed up for the Whistler 50 mile run anyways, but as a SOLO.  Two birds with one stone !  Run in whistler AND do my first 50 mile . Attending to unfinished business.

HAY IN THE BARN

Being raiseed on a farm, thats what I hope I had. My last 4 hour run was 8 weeks prior to the race...maybe it wasn't a 'waste of time' ? . I was inspired by a friend of mine who just pulled off a 30 km with little training- if she could do that, could I pull off an 80 k ? right?? 

My big concern was that this was generally a flat course and I haven't ran more than 8-10 flat miles in the last 2 years!

THE WHISTLER  50 MILE RUN:

 Expecting my first 50 miler to be a grueling, complicated experience, it turned out to be a pleasantly simple experience that I would summarize into positive and negatives for each 21 km lap.

Lap 1:  17 km

+ ve :  6 am start, beautiful, peaceful run thru the trails. Great trai l markings, lots of runners... no worries. Enjoyed pulling back from the pack to run alone in the dark. Pristine !  

-ve : Left tibial plate and screws from an old fracture immediately started to ache. grrrr- it eventually settled and went away. This was my stumbling block that I felt would limit my distance past 50 km.

Lap 2: 21 km

+ve :The sun rises, I  get to see the beautiful full course. Paved trails thru golf courses, homes,lake, and Whistler village. Running with a guy who did leadville 3X, a woman who did death race, and another woman who did transrockies...meanwhile " hi , I'm Heather, of this is my first 50 miler"... feeling out of my league ! Big Time !

- ve: The metatarsal pain starts. 2nd toes, both feet burning from the pavement pounding. I'm thinking 'lovely, I got another 8 hrs of this' But that too passed....

LAP 3 : 21 km

+ve: I now know the course, and am feeling  like the the aid station attendants are old friends. I most looked forward to seeing Gottfried Grossier (organizer of several great local runs -including my FIRST 50 kilometer 'Frosty 50 k" http://www.trailwhisperer.ca/    I was ahead of schedule.  I guessed 10 + hr finish time. I was a bit confused when I  checked the time to see I was only 6 hrs in ... was I only on lap 2 ? no, I was on lap 3 as I had 3 elastics on my wrist to mark each lap when I picked up my goodies from my drop bag from each lap. Being a nerd paid off.

Only 21 Km to go- would I finish in 8 1/2 hours? really? am I hallucinating?

- ve: Now its time for the ITB to kick in. All my other aches and pains are gone, now I get to enjoy  the results of having  my womanly hips. Lovely.  The commings and goings of aches and pains are actually becomming amusing.

Lap 4 : 21km  ( The final 60- 80 km )

+ ve:  I finally get to feel the push PAST  a 50 km !!! Woot woot !!!  

 Felt suprisingly fine until about the last hour where I think I did a great impression of what MR BEAN would look like if he started running- Tee hee ! 

My nutrition etc. was dialed in, I  thought I was lucid ... except for the part where I called my husband:

" I've got 4 kms to go to the finish ... it should take me 45-50 mins (thinking in miles)" Meanwhile my husband has visions of me crawling to the finish.

-ve:  Yup, a new entertaining pain. My ARMS ! wtf ! both biceps aching, I can't hold my arms up any longer- had to rest my thumbs in my waistband and literally run like a cowboy !                                                                                                                         


DONE !  8:04 ! 8th woman, 4th age group.
A couple of women sprinted past me on a downhill in the last 10 km, but I diddn't care. I wasn't  racing, I was just finishing, just enjoying my first 50 mile run .  And dammmit, it was actually enjoyable.
It was great to meet my husband and 14 yr old daughter at the finish line. Best hug ever !

And lets not forget the recovery drinks:

Heather V

HERE IS A GREAT VIDEO  THAT CAPTURES THE RACE EXPERIENCE; Thanks to Rory Bass