Running through a Rock Garden...
The mountains of Tennessee are calling....
Sometimes I am a very organized, responsible and planned person... Other times, not so much. Generally when it comes to running, I like to show up and run. The whole planning aspect is not something I enjoy and this does not really work for 50k's. One should and must plan for this (ESPESCIALLY if it happens to be many many miles away). On a whim (a whole two weeks before the race,) I decided to go through with Stump Jump 50k in Chattanooga. Now, I had been training for the distance but was not sure if logistically I could manage traveling that far. Also, most importantly, I need to be safe and healthy going into this race. After brainstorming with a few friends, I thought I feel good, why not? So I packed up drove 6 hours to my friend, Rachel and then drove 6.5 more to my friend Debbie in Tennessee. To help me along the way, I picked up a book on tape which happened to be Nora Roberts. For those who don't know, Nora Roberts is soft porn... It was quite a surprise but entertaining to say the least. For those of you traveling across state lines, you may borrow this book on tape if interested. Debbie was an amazing support system and really helped get my sorry butt to the start line. We have to drive 20 minutes up a windy narrow road on top of a mountain in order to get to the start. On the way up, my ears pop and I think, oh so we are really running up a mountain.. this is going to be interesting. I start out and I am understandable stiff (appropriate after a 13 hour car ride) and consider maybe not finishing. Before starting the race, Debbie surprised me and had all of my friends right inside jokes to me that she would read to me at the aid station. I had tears in my eyes thinking about how lucky I was. I can't help but think how special I felt because even millions of miles away, I had some of the best people supporting me. The race was composed of mostly a single dirt track with rocks, roots and stumps the whole way. On one side was the cliff, the other side of the path was rocks. There was climbing through a 'rock garden' and beautiful sights that I actually stopped for in order to just take in the scene. At around mile 13, I stopped to talk to this gentleman sitting down. As a trail runner, I hold myself to certain standards such as making sure others are okay out on the trail. Once you are on the trail, there is no way off besides continuing on and without other runners, you are (to say this nicely) screwed up a cliff. So I stopped and chatted with this guy who said he was okay, just needed a break because he had chemo two days earlier. Told me he had stage 4 colon cancer, a part of his kidney removed and a part of his liver removed earlier in the year and he was finishing this race no matter what. I offered to finish it with him but he told me he would see me at the end and I thanked this nameless man for the inspiration to keep going. I gently told myself if a man who had chemo 2 days ago can finish, I have no excuse. After that point, nothing became unmanageable and the rest of my run was focused on how resilient and amazing the human body is. Although at times, I may not love my body and put it down. Or even worse, I allowed OTHERS to put my body down and took it as truth. I have believed when people have said, you are too muscular, thick, etc. I automatically thought to the times, I had hated my body and felt sorry for this because my body is amazing. Moreover, those who can't appreciate my body or my strength aren't important enough to be in my life :) The thing about the human body is however, you owe yourself and your body the respect to listen to it. Thankfully my body felt great and continue to perform well. I was able to finish and honor my number 1 rule, to take care of myself. After I finished, I walked around and tried to take a picture so others could see the beauty and the height of this mountain but couldn't quite capture it. The next day, Debbie informed me that someone had died during the race. I looked online and saw a picture of a guy who looked rather familiar. Not my friend struggling with cancer, but another runner I had met along the way. Death is sad, regardless of when or how it happens. Losing a friend, a loved one, a stranger impacts us and reading the messages of support to his family was heartbreaking. It seems a doctor was running behind him and there was nothing anyone could do but be there. A seasoned runner, a father, someone who loved life had left the world as we all continued on with our lives. This fellow runner's life and death is a reminder we only have a limited time on earth. In honor of him, I am going to continue to try and love life and enjoy my time because as cliche' as this is, tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
Sometimes I am a very organized, responsible and planned person... Other times, not so much. Generally when it comes to running, I like to show up and run. The whole planning aspect is not something I enjoy and this does not really work for 50k's. One should and must plan for this (ESPESCIALLY if it happens to be many many miles away). On a whim (a whole two weeks before the race,) I decided to go through with Stump Jump 50k in Chattanooga. Now, I had been training for the distance but was not sure if logistically I could manage traveling that far. Also, most importantly, I need to be safe and healthy going into this race. After brainstorming with a few friends, I thought I feel good, why not? So I packed up drove 6 hours to my friend, Rachel and then drove 6.5 more to my friend Debbie in Tennessee. To help me along the way, I picked up a book on tape which happened to be Nora Roberts. For those who don't know, Nora Roberts is soft porn... It was quite a surprise but entertaining to say the least. For those of you traveling across state lines, you may borrow this book on tape if interested. Debbie was an amazing support system and really helped get my sorry butt to the start line. We have to drive 20 minutes up a windy narrow road on top of a mountain in order to get to the start. On the way up, my ears pop and I think, oh so we are really running up a mountain.. this is going to be interesting. I start out and I am understandable stiff (appropriate after a 13 hour car ride) and consider maybe not finishing. Before starting the race, Debbie surprised me and had all of my friends right inside jokes to me that she would read to me at the aid station. I had tears in my eyes thinking about how lucky I was. I can't help but think how special I felt because even millions of miles away, I had some of the best people supporting me. The race was composed of mostly a single dirt track with rocks, roots and stumps the whole way. On one side was the cliff, the other side of the path was rocks. There was climbing through a 'rock garden' and beautiful sights that I actually stopped for in order to just take in the scene. At around mile 13, I stopped to talk to this gentleman sitting down. As a trail runner, I hold myself to certain standards such as making sure others are okay out on the trail. Once you are on the trail, there is no way off besides continuing on and without other runners, you are (to say this nicely) screwed up a cliff. So I stopped and chatted with this guy who said he was okay, just needed a break because he had chemo two days earlier. Told me he had stage 4 colon cancer, a part of his kidney removed and a part of his liver removed earlier in the year and he was finishing this race no matter what. I offered to finish it with him but he told me he would see me at the end and I thanked this nameless man for the inspiration to keep going. I gently told myself if a man who had chemo 2 days ago can finish, I have no excuse. After that point, nothing became unmanageable and the rest of my run was focused on how resilient and amazing the human body is. Although at times, I may not love my body and put it down. Or even worse, I allowed OTHERS to put my body down and took it as truth. I have believed when people have said, you are too muscular, thick, etc. I automatically thought to the times, I had hated my body and felt sorry for this because my body is amazing. Moreover, those who can't appreciate my body or my strength aren't important enough to be in my life :) The thing about the human body is however, you owe yourself and your body the respect to listen to it. Thankfully my body felt great and continue to perform well. I was able to finish and honor my number 1 rule, to take care of myself. After I finished, I walked around and tried to take a picture so others could see the beauty and the height of this mountain but couldn't quite capture it. The next day, Debbie informed me that someone had died during the race. I looked online and saw a picture of a guy who looked rather familiar. Not my friend struggling with cancer, but another runner I had met along the way. Death is sad, regardless of when or how it happens. Losing a friend, a loved one, a stranger impacts us and reading the messages of support to his family was heartbreaking. It seems a doctor was running behind him and there was nothing anyone could do but be there. A seasoned runner, a father, someone who loved life had left the world as we all continued on with our lives. This fellow runner's life and death is a reminder we only have a limited time on earth. In honor of him, I am going to continue to try and love life and enjoy my time because as cliche' as this is, tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
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| A poor attempt of a picture at the bottom of the mountain |
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