Bear Lake Ultra: BIB #150!

Photo credit Kris T

 "Andy, my belly is jittery, I think I am nervous...." The drive from Holly to Lapeer had my tummy doing somersaults, my prerace jitters weren't from the 34 degree temps out! 

Covid cancelled many races this year. But Bear Lake Ultra squeaked in with less than half the participants and I was one of the lucky ones. 

I haven't pinned a bib on in a LONNNG time. 

My Goal: To run a Marathon. 26.2 miles and try to do it in under 6 hours. Not a fast time, but a respectable time for a trail marathon. 

My Concerns: Last October, I ran my last big race, Marine Corp Marathon, I ran that marathon bald, just finishing a summer of chemo.  I did this just a week before having my mastectomy, a very aggressive breast cancer took a lot from me last year. This was as I had put it then "My Last Hoorah". And it really has been.  I would have 4 more surgeries, from my boobies being reconstructed to my ovaries removed to having my meniscus done. My body went to hell in a hand basket from that day forward. I have only ran 1-20 miler since then. I haven't been able to run consistently oddly enough since I was going through chemo! I didn't run for a month over the summer.  I believed I could do a marathon distance, I just wasn't sure how ugly it would be. 

My Inspiration: My friend Sarah Moore was running a very difficult race the same day, I was encouraged by her grit. 

I had asked for prayers from people. I believe God grants us the desires of our heart. He can use all things, including this broken mess. 

Our packet pick up, so personal, Robs mom made the masks

Bear Lake Ultra
Rob, the race director had less than 90 runners participating in his 3 mile loop. This was the 3rd year. You run as long as you can. There is only one aid station, where the start/finish is. You can have crew and tents at the start/finish line to support you. You must yell your bib number every loop when you come in and before you go back out again. 

"All runners will be challenged & rewarded as they loop their way along rolling hills on single track trails, wide groomed trails, roots, rocks and a few bridge crossings." 

The Gang: Complete Runner was one of the sponsors. We had 6 of us representing, Andy, Antonio, Zane, Mary, Ryan and I. 

 

READY, SET, GO! 

"If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life run a marathon. If you want to talk to God run an ultra." 

Photo credit Kris T

We ran out of bread at home so Andy toasted some hamburger buns with butter and honey. I was still laughing at our breakfast that seemed so long ago as we began running down the road to the trail. 

I wasn't too worried about getting hungry, I would be eating every time I came into the aid station. I have learned to eat a little whenever I can and drink, drink drink. 

I was hoping I could run with Andy, 23 years of marriage might mean you are life partners but not necessarily running partners! 

Barely a mile into our run, I heard a familiar voice...."It's so pretty!" It was RACHEL! Rachel and Kris came out with great cheer and cow bells. I was so stoked! 

BIB #150!

As we are closing in on our first loop, we are climbing up the road, the aid station is literally centered at the top of the hill. "Andy, we have to run into the aid station every time." I advise. 

I make that turn into the aid station full of energy, dancing and I  yell "BIB NUMBER 150!" 

All caught up in the excitement, I am embarrassed to say I forgot to pray, something I always do before I run. After a couple loops, I see Rachel and Kris at the aid station and I ask them to pray over me. 

I knew there was no way I could do this race without God's hands on me. 

The Box of Dreams

My body felt incredible. I had more energy than Carter had pills. As we were coming up the hill to the start/finish Andy (for the third or fourth time) and I would pick a spot we would try to run to. It was a box, for trash. "Run to the box" Andy said. This runner was near us and responds, "That's your box of dreams, where you put all your hopes and dreams." I laughed, that little box would be my box to run to every time, it represented so much for me. It would leave me breathless, but never hopeless. 

12.5 

I was almost half way there and I felt amazing. My knee was strong and my PF was full of hope. 

I was fully confident that I would get my marathon in at this point. I didn't want to verbalize it afraid it might be arrogant, but I just knew.....

Antonio brought his Theragun to help our piriformis.  

26.2
"Andy take my picture, I did it, I ran my marathon!" 

I not only ran my marathon I ran it in under 6 hours. 

I felt as fresh as I did in the beginning. I never let on to Andy that I didn't want to quit. I wanted to keep running, maybe try for a 50k. 

Photo credit Kris T

50K
Running in loops allows your mind to get distracted. If your in a bad mental place it can make it worse, but if you stay in a land of butterflies and rainbows it keeps you hype. I was so hype. I would shout every time I came into the aid station, "ONE, FIVE, OOOOOH!" Then the aid station would cheer me in. I hit the 50K mark in what seemed like a breath.  Andy asked if I was going to keep going. I tried not to cry, I felt myself getting choked up, "Andy, I don't understand it, why do I feel so good? This is crazy, I know what pain feels like, and I don't have any..." 

And so I ran....

I had fun painting rocks earlier that week with our names on them and hiding them in the woods. Other runners were having fun not only trying to find them but they too were picking them up and hiding them! It took Ryan a 50k to find his rock and Antonio was so confused when his rock was gone, rehidden and poor Miko found his only once and never again. It became a game to play while we were all torturing ourselves. 

My 31 miles added up but not as quick as the sun was setting. 

"Find the level of intolerance you can tolerate and stay there."

And darkness appeared. Beyond 31

I didn't think I would be able to go back out to run even though my legs were still attached and my breath was still easy. They were requiring headlamps to go back out. I was bummed. I wasn't running my race, I had been ultimately running Andy's race and we run so differently. "If only we hadn't spent so much time in the aid stations." I whispered to myself. I really wanted to go back out but darkness was coming fast and I couldn't out run it. I only had 3 more loops to go and I would have over 50 miles. 

Still running through the aid station, "ONE -FIVE - OOHH" I shout still chipper as I followed Andy back to our tent where Ryan K and Joselyn were cheering us all on. I mentioned that I couldn't go back out without a head lamp and how I hadn't thought I would have ran this far so I wasn't prepared. Ryan responded, I brought my headlamp...." And just like that I was back out there with Andy. 

I  had ate all day, pizza, potatoes, cheese quesadillas, grapes, oranges, water, and the list goes on. And I drank, water, ginger ale, Ucan, I took Motrin and had a couple chews but none of that could explain how my body was still moving so well. 

It was so dark, I knew to pick my feet up and stay light. I never fell or tripped once. 

With one loop to go, 50 miles literally fell in the beginning loop, Andy took off without me. He was going to try to get that mile in under 12 hours. I took off after him in the dark, hauling butt down the hill to find him. 

I caught up to Andy and took the lead to try and pace him in that last mile. We picked up mile 49 but not fast enough. 40 seconds shy, we scaled way back walking more than we had been. 

BIB #150!! 

As I screamed my bib number with all smiles, I finished it up with "And I am DONE!"  They had all knew I had only hoped for a marathon, so with each loop I came in singing my bib number, the Bear Lake crew cheered me on in surprise. I had many encourage me and tell me how much fun I was. The volunteers were exceptional and thankfully never got sick of me. Most people are ready to kick me to the curb after a couple hours, they had been with me for over 12 hours! 

53 Miles: When I try to wrap my head around it I just can't. These days we do not see God parting seas or people walking on water but let me tell you...I have 53 miles of miracles. I have coached, been coached and know a few things about running. Running 53 miles after only training 1- 20 miler in almost a year...is just plain craziness. I could possible understand it if I crawled that 53 miles in but I didn't, I danced it in, laughed it in with pure JOY. Other than a few blister and a tight hamstring I had no ailments. There is only one explanation...The power of prayer. 

"Call unto me, and seek me, and I will show you great and mighty things which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3

As broken and depressed, as discouraged and doubtful as I have been the last year and a half  I never quit believing God wouldn't restore me. 

I just had to not give up, not get hopeless, keep my faith...

Somewhere around mile 27 Andy was getting discouraged. I responded "..every loop can be all together different than the previous one, good, bad or indifferent but you can't give up on a bad loop when a good one might be just around the corner."

Such is life and the seasons of life. This has been a tough season for many, just a reminder to hold onto HOPE, keep your faith and get back out there. 

Special thanks to: Mom and Dad, they came out not once but twice to cheer us on in that cold weather. Rachel and Kris, so grateful they prayed with both Andy and I. I am grateful for the boldness of friends to pray and honor God. Kris brought her camera and took some great photos. 

Congrats to my CRU members that all ran epic miles pushing their bodies, Antonio crushed over 50 miles, Andy rocked his FIRST 50 miler, Ryan just a few weeks after his 100 miler beat his 100k time, and Miko for running a sub 24 hour 100 miler on a tough course. 

And a big Thank you to Rob, For pushing forward to have a race when everything was shutting down he never quit. He and his volunteers did a fabulous job. 

"Despite what seems like the extraordinary nature of these events, in the end, they make you more human." 

Sweet Miah cheering from home! 

ANITA~