At mile 28, after taking 9 tumbles, I found myself down in the dirt again. It was like Andy knew; it was right then as I dusted myself off yet again, I answered my phone ringing. I heard Andys voice with concern, "Anita, I'm calling to check on you. Its 88' degrees out, are you OK?"
I couldn't help but laugh, still wiping the dirt off my body from my recent splat and knowing I only had a couple miles to go. "Yes, Andy, I'm almost finished, and the Lord provided me with a friend." I shared a few more thoughts as I tried to catch up to my Trail Angel the Lord provided me with.
The 28 miles prior to this conversation were a different story. 
The morning started with Pam, Christina, Kara and me showing up early Sunday morning for a sufferfest of unknown depths. The temperatures were already in the 70's and you could feel the heat waiting to encapsulate you.
Our 50K adventure would kick off with Sean Cummings snapping the only fresh photo of us ladies as we took off at 6:05am down the dark trail. It is here I would see the girls together for the last time for hours.
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In the quietness of those early miles, I coach myself. I keep my music off and listening to my body, my thoughts, and the wisdom the Lord has given me through experience. The one thing I try to avoid is listening to at all costs is EGO. That will ruin a race with no remorse. I have some ANITA RULES, I try to follow.
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RULE #1: SETTLE DOWN
"Settle down for the first few miles."
The first 5 miles were like gridlock. No one was moving fast but we were all moving. I actually fell for my first time before mile 2 and tripped but a guy grabbed my wrist from behind preventing me from landing. 
I checked my pace with each mile as I felt the runners behind me trying to maneuver through the gridlock and just settled in with patience.
Patience is key, trust your training, my pace was slower than it needed to be for my goal of a sub-6-hour 50K, but I trusted it would all come together, Lord willing.
You are not going to lose that much time and it's not worth the heartache or headache to try to keep pace that early on.
RULE #2: DON'T CRUSH THE HILLS
"Do not crush the hills in the beginning of your race because it could kick you in the butt on the second half of the race."
By mile 7, my body was finally finding a groove. The temps were pleasant, a cool breeze flowed through the woods. But the trail? Oh, it was a minefield of roots, sand, and elevation changes-the kind that makes you question your life choices, especially when you find yourself already counting your falls.
I was in the shadows of this strong runner who was crushing the downhills. The other runners cheered her on for being such a force tackling them and even nicknamed her. I would watch her weave through the trees like a superhero, fast and furious until I would no longer see her. I cautiously came down the hills for 2 reasons, I kept falling and I didn't want to blow my legs out that early in the race.
We played leapfrog for several miles pushing each other. At one point we both had to pee so bad. The port-a-poopers were both being used, she followed my lead off the trail where we both became more friendly peeing next to each other!
RULE #3 RUN YOUR OWN RACE
"Recognize who you're competing against and what your goals are and stick with them."
By mile 13, a small competitive pack of us girls had formed. We would chase each other through aid stations and quietly try to get out and back in the trail. After hearing one of the gals slowly close in on me, tucking behind me for a couple miles, I decided to let her pass. The pace had picked up and I had to direct myself back to MY GOAL. And that goal had nothing to do with racing the other runners as much as it was a goal time for me. I could also see the heat was beginning to affect the runners. The ladies were all drenched in sweat, and I knew I had to control my body temps and heart rate a little longer or I would bonk or cramp.
There was an out and back section we were coming towards around mile 19 where I was still in the shadows of the two stronger and younger females.
We were coming out of an aid station, and I fell for about the 6th time. I got back up only to trip again less than a half a mile up.
Each time I went down, I felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration. The other runners checked on me, slowing down to offer help, but I insisted they keep running their race. "Go! Run your race, I am OK." But I wondered why I couldn't stay upright.
I kept asking the Lord "Why do I keep falling?" And the answer came back CLEAR as day: "I keep picking you up and keeping you uninjured, it is just your pride that is getting hurt."
Each time, my body would RISE off that dirty trail and with each fall, I'd thank the Lord for his hand in PULLING me UP. But truth is, my confidence in my legs started to waiver, all the confidence I had was in The LORD. My armor was cracking.
I stayed focused on MY Goals, MY why, and MY faith in Gods will for me.
RULE #4 TREAT YOURSELF
"Set little goals and treat yourself when you reach them, it breaks up the race and gives you a little reward for all that suffering!"
The aid stations were a godsend and the energy at each of them was a huge encouragement. I had my hydration pack filled that morning with a liter and a half of water and brought along a flask of electrolytes that I kept filling. I knew when I hit mile 20 it was time to enjoy my music as a "reward".
This energy booster put a pep in my step. The heat is a superpower for me, I run really well in it and mixed with my favorite tunes it delivered a dose of supernatural energy. (I of course really give God all that praise).
It was here at the out and back section I carefully pulled ahead of the pack. I was very thoughtful when making this bold move with all my tumbles and 11 miles to go but I knew it was time.
I was just so stoked to enjoy my "reward". But the Lord had a different plan.
Just as I got my tunes and a rhythm going, I heard footsteps behind me and a voice say, "I knew if I could just catch up to you, I'd be good,"
Thats where RULE #5 was born...
RULE #5 PEOPLE MATTER MOST.
"Lord! I just want to listen to my music and be by myself..."
I argued with the Lord silently every time I had to stop my music to reply to this guy talking to me. He had a soft accent and a kind voice making it very difficult to move away from.
Sarab quickly became my trail angel. I wanted to zone out to my music but the Lord asked me to change my plans. I gave up when I fell 2 more times, and Sarab with hidden strength and speed was as fast a cheetah to pick me up. He was like a trail ninja the way he appeared to help me and each time he would say, " I am here to help my coach..." 
From there, he stuck close, he was fatigued but he was confident if he could just stay with me, he would not just finish but finish with me a sub-6 hour race.
I became quite fond of my new friend and would confirm his presence yelling, "Roots! Rocks! Downhill, let's go."
When the hills came into view, I would shout out a plan to get up them as swiftly as we could and get us to the next aid station to refuel and hydrate.
This is where I lost my trail Angel. I was very swift getting in and out of the aid stations. I turned around as I exited and yelled back "Let's go!" But he was not ready, so I slowly made the accent up a hill solo.
Just as I turned my music on, thinking I lost him, I heard him barreling after me. I chucked to myself, "I hear ya LORD!" and found myself delighted to turn off my music.
It is HERE mile 28 came. Sarab and I had mathed together and in our sweat, stink and fatigue we knew we had plenty of time but we both knew we wanted to finish strong.
It is HERE we came out of the woods to make a right-hand turn to our last out and back section that would add about a mile.
And it is HERE I fell as I was introduced to Sarabs father proudly taking pictures of his son.
It is also here Andy called me.
Alot going on in the brief moments.
RULE #6: STAY HUMBLE
"Stay humble and give God all the Glory." 
By mile 28, I was better than I had should have been, despite the dirt, bruises, and relentless sun I was smiling.
Sarab and I conquered that last grueling hill together I would take my last fall, a record number 10 total!
With everything drained from my body, my heart pounding in my ears, I knew I was giving it my EVERYTHING. As we headed down that last, treacherous mile with roots and rocks waiting got trip me up again, I PRAYED to the Lord to keep me upright to the finish.
Sarab dropped a gear never leaving my side as we finished side by side. I was filled with gratitude.
I gave the Lord all the glory for not just my finish but picking me up and keeping me safe for 31 miles.
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| MY Trail Angel, |
A FINISH WORTH CELEBRATING
Blood, sweat and tears each of us gals finished.
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| Kara and Pam |
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| Christina and I |
To my surprise I was second place female, but I should have gotten an award for MOST TUMBLES!
Those falls didn't break me; they only made me more determined.
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| Mary and Tanya |
Such is LIFE, so many falls, so many tumbles but if we just take a pause and try to see the Lord in it all we will get back up and go another mile, another round another go.
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| Tina and Sean, they bring out the best in me!! |
Anita Harless
Bib# 7009
OVERALL: 10th
2nd place female
1st Masters
TIME: 5H35min.
ELEVATION: 2,150ft
"If you start to feel good during an ultra, don't worry you will get over it." Gene Thibeault
In Peace, not Pieces,
Anita
