Run Rabbit Run 50 Recap: BE Magnificent

 

How do you recap a race that you are still processing? A race that you trained harder than you have ever trained for a race? I trained for RRR for 9 months and felt so ill equipped within the first 10 miles. 

A Few Details:

• The crew from Michigan Running: Sarah, Amanda, Shane, Joe, Shirley, Mark and myself. 
• My brother and sister in love flew in from Florida, we shared and Airbnb in Steamboat together, the rest of the crew were in an Airbnb together a block from us. 
• We came in on Wednesday, stayed one night in Grand Lake. We went to Rocky Mountain National Park on Thursday on the way to Steamboat. 
• Our Airbnb was located less than a half a mile from the finish line. 

THE RACE PLAN: 

• Saturday September 16, 6am start
• Elevation starting at 6.886 feet
• Original plan was ALWAYS to finish in sub-14 hours. The cut off for the race is 15 hours. I should have stayed in that original plan and saved myself a lot of grief and discouragement. At dinner the night before the race, the question of "Race plans" got brought up. Sarah, casually mentioned that "Ultrasignup" gave an estimated time for her and I around 12 hours based off of our running history. That seed gently landed in my little pea brain and totally lodged in Andys brain. 
• I would NOT see Andy for the first 22 miles, there was NO access to the first 3 aid stations. I would see him at the Dumont Aid Station. 

"Let's NOT die on that Mountain"! 

Praying started at 5am in our Airbnb. Several friends had reached out to me with scripture and prayer. I opened Hebrews that morning humbly seeking the Lord. Or maybe even desperately. 

At the start of the race, we gathered together in prayer yet again. 

At 6am promptly we headed up, up, up. 

The race starts at the bottom of the mountain where you take the service drive up 6 miles to the top of the ski slope. 

Off we went heading up. the first mile I was sucking wind at a 14min/mi. 

All 7 of us running the same race but in different places. I had my headlamp on and even though I couldn't see the mountain my lungs could feel the suffering. 

I knew I couldn't walk, I just tried to stay in line with the other runners. 

"ANITA"... I heard that sweet voice of Sarah. I was so happy to have her next to me. 

Sarah and I tackled that 6 mile service drive enjoying the sunrise and chasing back and forth with Mark

. We were finding some laughter as our lungs and legs were grieving. 

Each mile my confidence faded. I just wanted to get to the aid station at Mt Werner, elevation, 10,372 ft.  We would climb almost 4,000 feet in 6 miles. 

We made it with full on smiles and I was praising GOD! We didn't stick around we headed out quickly to the next aid station about 6 more miles away. 

From Mt. Werner to Long Lake SO much changed, it had to change, or I would never have made it off that mountain. 

I couldn't catch my breath. I would run for about 5 minutes and I was winded. Up and down we ran. Finally, I humbly admitted defeat. 

Sarah was pacing us for a 12 hour race that I was never going to make.

I felt like a wuss.

I felt weak. 

I felt old. 

I felt washed up, discouraged and defeated. 

"Sarah, I can't finish this race and maintain this pace..." I told here she could go, but I knew at that pace I would not be able to finish. 

I would DIE on that MOUNTAIN! 

Sarah without pause responds with "...Ultrasignup estimated our time based off of our race history, none of which were  ever races at this elevation....." 

I felt the wait of the world come off my shoulders as this brilliant nugget of information enlightened me! 

YES! DUH! 

"Sarah, let's have a great race with moderate suffering and smiles!" I responded, not exactly that poetic but something like that. 

I did say, "Sarah, Let's NOT die on this mountain, figuratively and techniquely"! 

LONG LAKE: 13.2

We dropped a little elevation, 9,946. We were running trails, big rocks and steep inclines, beauty that left you breathless. We found a rhythm. The heat was rising and the sky was open and clear. 

We came into the aid station stoked. We saw Joe, Mark was just a few minutes behind us and as we left the aid station we had caught up to Shirley. Shirley got to enjoy a hour early start for turning 50. She had this smile that could clear a storm. 

Seeing all my friends filled my heart and ignited my spirit. I even snagged a little video of us at about mile 14.

BUT....I would lose that smile very soon. 

As Sarah and I came off the mountain we had a guy on our heels. We had ran with many groups and most of them passed us but He didn't want to. The trail came out of the woods and opened up into a massive lake. The trail narrowed with tall grass on both sides. You could hardly see your feet and I kept tripping on my legs due to the groove in the trail. We were running at a good clip when I fell so hard the earth shook. This was NOT my first fall and it would not be my last. But this one knocked the wind out of me and I just paused in my fragile position trying to locate my brains. 

The guy behind us checked on me and he headed out down the trail ahead of us. 

Sarah and I were heating up and she was actually sharing her salt drink with me. Out of the blue Sarah had her first breakdown. She was so strong and happy I never saw it coming. We were about to make a river crossing when I said, "HEY! Let's remember why we are here...." I went to grab my phone and quickly joined Sarah's emotion when I discovered my PHONE WAS GONE. 

I knew I had lost it just over the last 3 miles. But we had to keep moving. 

BASE CAMP 18.4; 9,950 elevation

Poor Sarah had to listen to me ask every runner about my phone! I couldn't find my rhythm; I was distracted and mad at myself. 

When we came into the aid station, I was ridiculous asking everyone! The course is an out and back so my hope was someone on the way up or back might find it. We were filling up, eating and pretending we were GOOD!  The sun was baking us, we were struggling but we kept on smiling and laughing. 

My smile dulled quickly. 

"Sarah, I was born broken...." I beat myself up more than the mountain was doing. I just want to see Andy at mile 22, DUMONT. 

I needed a hug. I needed to be comforted. I felt everything in my body leaking out. 

Sarah was a joy, she was patient with my chaos and strong leading most of the way to Dumont, much stronger than I felt. 

DUMONT: 22.3 9,508 elevation 

The closer I got, the more I began tremble. By the time we reached Dumont I was a MESS! Andy was waiting for us at the trail head shouting and cheering us on. The tears burst out, without control. I NEVER CRY. Blubbering like a baby I shared of my lost phone. Andy got a little upset and Sarah actually calmed him down. He flipped the script, wrapped his arms around me and comforted me. My brother and sister-in-law had never seen me like that. Alec was sweet but they were all confused at how bad I looked. 

Andy handed me my Buckeye that my dear friend Debbie gave me to remind me she was praying for me, this helped cheer me up. 

I got it together, everyone was great we pushed out to head to Rabbit Ears, our highest elevation where we would turn around and head back the way we came from. 

My favorite Buckeye gave me this, Debbie to remind me she was praying for me. 

I would also get to see my family again! 

TO RABBIT EARS: Mile 25 10,534

This would prove to be the HARDEST 3 miles of the whole race. It was PURE SUN and I was not feeling so bright! 

Sarah was ahead of me and I could hardly walk, there was NO running. This stretch was narley. The last mile was sandy, it curved just enough so you couldn't see how close you were to the top. 

Sarah made it to the top 5 minutes before I did. I would get about 15 feet WALKING and have to stop!

I would just lean on my poles as my lungs cursed me and my heart beat so hard it felt like a jack hammer. 

I prayed and convinced myself I would NOT cry anymore. 

I heard Sarah laughing at the top, I pressed on to see her and be with her. 

BY the GRACE OF GOD I made it! I touched the mountain, found next level joy and got my playing card to prove I made it!

We took a few photos and headed down!! I was stoked!!! 

 DUMONT: Mile 27.7

I was ALL shades of happy when I saw my family again. My family had smiles as they greeted us and helped us. I told Andy the goal went back to the original 14 hour goal!! He said he figured; he had been tracking us. 

Sarah and I filled up, ate up, and cheered up! We were halfway done! We got to see all of our gang at Rabbit Ears coming down to Dumont.  I was so happy to see them all doing well. I was praying over everyone to finish. 

LET'S GOO! Keep the FAITH too the FINISH 

I got so excited knowing we were heading to the finish line. I had hope I would find my phone around the lake. 

The trail looked so different coming back. We had removed all our extra clothing. I had fallen 3 times, Sarah once. 

We saw some hunters with llamas that I would find out later had an elk on the back. I thought they were part of our cheering stations! Silly runners, the lack of oxygen is the my excuse. 

I got excited as we came out of BASE CAMP, mile 31.6, we hit a 50K. 

We were breaking it down aid station to aid station. This also meant I was near where I lost my phone. 

Sarah used her phone to send Andy our location and try to map out where my phone was. He then would text us that we were so close. 

BUT THEN he texted us and said we passed it! What? How did that happed we thought. I was so bummed. He told Sarah to just RUN and let it go, the phone was GONE. 

I totally believed we would find it. Even when we didn't find it I STILL believed. We knew I had lost it when I fell but we had searched all through he tall grasses. A guy at Long Lake aid station actually went out on his motorcycle to look for it. Our friends even confirmed they saw him out there.

I let it go but believed someone would find it. 

Andy calls Sarah around mile 39 to tell us SOMEONE had my phone!! 

"SARAH, it was NEVER about me losing my phone, it was always about YOU. I had to trip, fall, scrape myself up and lose my phone for you to see The Lord work through my faith. Sarah, it was always about you...." 

You see this is actually the SECOND time I lost my phone with Sarah in a circumstance I should NEVER have found it.

Sarah was struggling, I prayed over her and over all my friends. 

Not Just LOST Lake..But also Lost Phone! 

My legs felt good, I was still struggling to run long distances, but we had some good running segments. We knew that once we got to Mt Werner it was all downhill. We wouldn't have to worry about another water crossing or roots and large rocks, we would no longer be hidden in the forest. The mountain gathered around us with its vastness but would soon open up. We were so miniscule, just dust in comparison. The mountains etched greatness as the sun began to set, I knew we had to pick up the pace to get out of the woods before they came alive with heartbeats much stronger than ours. 

We made it to Mt Werner, we had 6 miles to go. "Sarah, I think we can make it by 7:30pm..." I was now in total race mode, horses to the barn. 

Even though I felt good, Sarah began struggling. "Sarah, Stay with me...." I picked up our pace and made sure she was with me. We made it a mile down and took a walk break. Not long, "Let's GO...Come ON Sarah..."

We did this all the way down. The last mile, I kept losing her. I yelled LOUDER, "Stay with me Sarah..." I would hear her voice holler back. Once I didn't see her or hear her and I stopped, I panicked and shouted again and again looking for her, "SARAH, SARAH...." "I'm Here..." I hear her voice respond.

I smiled. She was with me. 

I came down that mountain passing runners right up to the end. I was flying off the step when I could see the finish, "ANITA!! ANITA...." I heard Andys voice, "NO WAY...ANITA, Let's GOOO"...

Then I heard my brother "THAT'S my SISTER, LOOK thats my SISTER...." 

I was smiling so big as I came into that finish.

Andy hugged me but all I could think of was Sarah, "SARAH, Sarah is coming.....Get Sarah..."

A minute later comes the most beautiful gal comes into the finish with pure joy she finished. 

BE MAGNIFICENT!!

We DID IT, 13hours 28 minutes. 

It will go down as my hardest 50 miler to date. 

There is something so remarkable about being at the end of ourselves. This is the depths of WHY I run. SO I can be so depleted, so vulnerable, that I know I need my God to occupy the places I am empty. 

It is FAITH that gets me to the finish line when I am vacant of my human abilities. 

The Race director told us to BE MAGNIFICENT. 

Being Magnificent had NOTHING to do with my race time. 

Being Magnificent had everything to do with keeping my FAITH. 

Being Magnificent meant "Fixing my eyes on Jesus" to get me to the finish line.

Being Magnificent meant there was MORE than a finish, there was friendship. 

Being Magnificent meant I had to master "Self" and have FAITH in my Masters outcome for me. 

Congrats to ALL my CRU. Everyone finished! Everyone crossed that Finish Line. 

In Peace not Pieces,

Anita

NOTE....The man that found my phone was the guy that was behind us when I fell! I had told him along with about 25 other runners I had lost my phone, he remembered where I fell because he was behind me!!